Isle Royale wolf-prey issues

Here's some recent news from one of my old time towns regarding wolf-prey issues on Isle Royale in western Lake Superior: https://www.sooeveningnews.com/news...may-get-new-home-at-isle-royale-national-park Back in the late'50's when the study was done they were estimated in the 20's...plus minus during winter when ice prevailed between land groups.

It's been a research and money grant focus for a very long time. Read only if interested in the history of wildlife experiments and documentation. We see them flying and sometimes ask what and why.

Back in the mid-last Century here's a background of L. David Mech's studies: http://npshistory.com/series/fauna/7.pdf Credit to Donald Murray and his 90 Champ for the aerial logistics.

Gary

Grandson Don Murray is still flying the same Champ and has been flying beaver surveys on the island.

Thank you for the update on the Champ and family ties to that area. The newspaper article suggests now there's too many moose and too few wolves. We studied Mech's work in a wildlife sampling class here in Fairbanks but I've never been to Isle Royale.

What's your thoughts on this wolf intro program and value other than to those that study these things? Do they have both oars in the water?

And some recent news regarding a transported wolf that escaped maybe lonely for the mainland: https://www.freep.com/story/news/lo...-wolf-isle-royale-upper-peninsula/2790996002/

Edit: Isle Royale National Park Rules and info: https://www.nps.gov/isro/index.htm

Gary

Gary, Gary, Gary........after all these years in Alaska, you haven’t learned to never use the “W Word” in polite company? :roll:

MTV

Aww Mike just interested in that place and learning about what's changed since the mid-'40's when I was born and raised in the UP. The report above has some interesting and easy to read history about recollections of locals regarding wildlife that have come and gone. Just thought some current pilots that fly the area may have observed moose and wolf.

Did you venture over there when you were in Crookston? It's been in the '50's here and now we're having a good rain event so changes for March in Fairbanks.

Gary

Gary,

Nope, never got to Isle Royale, but that UP is some pretty country, no doubt.

Just poking at you.

MTV

I guess I should go and see when the Park is open. Glaciers cut through there and it's unique. Maybe a boat or floatplane trip and tour. The turnover of wildlife (coyotes for example) is very interesting as they cling like cloth to most habitat. No dogs allowed tho as Parvo got transferred in 1980 and ran through the wolves pretty good.

The Great Lakes shipping season opened through the Soo Locks today so maybe no more ice bridges from the mainland for travellers to and from Isle Royale this year.

Gary

Heaven forbid that they just issue a few more moose permits and let someone benefit from the meat a little. Now they have a program with no brakes.... been there and seen (still are seeing) the results. I feel sorry for the moose. Way too many "book educated" and no common sense anymore.
Nuff said.
John

In the predator-prey study report above in #1 this population growth and later crash for wolves and moose was noted before. Here in this recent summary the dynamic variation is described again during more recent years for both wolves and moose. It's interesting and lays out why the study: https://isleroyalewolf.org/overview/overview/at_a_glance.html

Some of the recent workers: https://isleroyalewolf.org/wolfhome/people.html

Too bad the mainland bears haven't decided to swim that far yet. Maybe they have but just one won't work for very long.

Gary