Isle Royale Wolf Pack Drops To 1, Moose Population Explodes

ISLE ROYALE, MI – Once a place where dozens of wolves roamed and helped maintain a healthy balance within the food chain, wildlife observers say that the wolf population may have dropped to a single animal on this National Park island in Lake Superior. And, with fewer wolves, the population of moose on the island has grown to some 1,600 on the 893-square-mile island in Lake Superior, according to a media report.

The last time a pair of wolves, a father and daughter, were seen was in summer of 2016, according to the Detroit Free Press. But since then, wildlife observers believe that one of them has died, the newspaper reported. Over the years, the report notes, the wolf population has steadily decreased due to inbreeding.

The National Park Service, which manages the island, is considering different options to replenish the wolf population. The options range from doing nothing to introducing mating pairs for the island in the coming years. The final decision is in the hands of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Meanwhile, moose have taken over the island, which could lead to more problems, including widespread deforestation as the moose mow down the vegetation and, possibly "an ugly potential of mass die-offs of starving moose in years to come," reports the Free Press.

>>>>Read the full article by the Detroit Free Press

File photo by JOHN VUCETICH/MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY via ASSOCIATED PRESS