New Wolves May Be Reintroduced to Michigan's Isle Royale
In Michigan's Isle Royale National Park, wolves have roamed for 70 years, having crossed a frozen lake from the mainland in the 1940s. But by this winter, with the warming climate keeping ice from forming and few wolves coming out from the mainland, their population had been reduced to two: a father and daughter.
So last Friday the National Park Service announced a proposal to relocate 20 to 30 gray wolves to the island. After a one-month public-comment period, the agency will make a final decision.
"Restoring wolves to their pivotal role in Isle Royale National Park is the right thing to do," said Center wolf specialist Michael Robinson. "Wolves, moose and vegetation are all part of a balanced ecosystem in the park, but the near-absence of wolves has been disastrous for both moose and vegetation."
Read more in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
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