After early struggles, Isle Royale's transplanted wolves show healthy signs of settling in

[marmar]

(Detroit Free Press) After a somewhat rough start, the wolves who survived being transplanted to Isle Royale in Lake Superior seem to have taken a liking to their new surroundings, producing multiple litters of pups.

Nineteen wolves were transplanted on the island national park between 2018 and 2019 to bolster its nearly vanished wolf population and counterbalance the island's swelling numbers of moose.



Though the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Michigan Technological University's annual winter survey of Isle Royale wolves and moose for the first time in 63 years last winter, data gathered last summer and this spring and summer seems to show the transplanted wolves settling into their new home. Researchers last summer found evidence of two litters of wolf cubs born on the island's eastern end, and possibly a third litter on the west side of the island, Michigan Tech research assistant professor Sarah Hoy said.

In January, a remote camera on the island caught footage of a group of four wolf pups on the island's eastern end.

"That shows that at least one litter of the wolves had survived into winter," Hoy said. ....................(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/07/12/litters-wolf-pups-isle-royale-transplants-settle/7918093002/