It turns out we can’t just let the wilderness run wild. The National Park Service is changing its hands-off approach at Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. Left alone, the wolves of Isle Royale are dying out. So federal officials have a plan to relocate 20-30 of the elusive predators. They will capture wolves from the mainland and move them to the lake’s archipelago over several years. The first new inhabitants will arrive in the park this fall.
The wolves are an important part of the park’s ecosystem. If they die out, the moose population will become too abundant. Too many moose will overeat the park’s trees and shrubs—allowing soil to erode and decimating their own food supply.
Predators like wolves often get a bad rap—especially in populated areas where humans raise livestock. But in the wild, they are essential. Cam Sholly is the National Park Service’s Midwest regional director. Sholly says it is critical to “obtain a proper predator-prey dynamic within the Isle Royale National Park ecosystem.” Doing so takes human management.
That’s a direct parallel with the mandate God gave to humankind at creation. He told His people to “have dominion over…every living thing.” (Genesis 1:28) God created everything in perfect balance. But He shares the work of maintaining that balance and causing it to flourish with His image-bearers. He delights to put us to good work in His creation.
Part of that work involves study. Another part, action. Scientists aren’t sure how the wolves first made their way to the island park. They think they may have crossed an ice bridge from Canada or Minnesota in the 1940s. The wolf population in the park grew until the early 1980s. About 50 wolves were noted there then. But the numbers fell again—probably due to genetic weaknesses from inbreeding.
Presently only two remain: one male and one female. The two are closely related and unlikely to breed—which is not a bad thing. New unrelated wolves should help to strengthen the population as they arrive and reproduce there.
The park service plans to seek suitable wolves from around the Great Lakes region, including Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario. They will try to find roughly equal numbers of males and females. About six to 10 wolves will be relocated year one, and a few dozen more over the next four years.
“We hope to capture from as many wide-ranging geographical areas as possible to maximize genetic variability,” says Isle Royale natural resources chief Mark Romanski.
They're sooo beautiful!
I'm glad they're helping the wolf population, I just hope the new wolves aren't a danger to the two wolves already there.
Rebekah, Rachel's sister
Wolves are SOOOOOOO adorable!!! I wouldn't want to meet one though. I hope so too, Greta. When they say that wolves get a bad rap, do they mean rap like TobyMac? ;P
Rebekah, Rachel's sister
Oh, and by the way, I'd pick a wolf over a moose any day.
Brenna
Wolves are so beautiful! And lol Rachel!
Wolves
I love wolves so much! they are my favorite animal. Good one, Rebekah :)
Brenna
Oh, sorry, Rebekah.
They are so beautiful. I wish
They are so beautiful. I wish I could keep one!!
they are so adorable and pretty
Personally i would hope they were good people to do this and hope fully they wont become a danger to socity but they are so stinkin cut
Massimo A
i love WOLVES
this is a cool artical
this is a cool artical
11th comment
The moose pictures in the slideshow look like horses!
Andrea B, you are so right,
Andrea B, you are so right, lol! They look like giant horses without a mane!
Massimo A
I agre
the devil comes as a WOLF in
the devil comes as a WOLF in sheeps clothing
OH NO they are so Pretty and
OH NO they are so Pretty and I agree with Andrea B and Isabel B
I LOVE WOLVES
I LOVE WOLVES
wolf
yeah go wolf population
Yay,wolfs!
iam so glad that wolfs are making a come back!
Wolves
Does anyone else think wolves are adorable? They are one of my favorite animals.
@LK
I think wolves are the most adorable animal ever! I hope to work with them someday.
i won't one
give me one there so cute i won't a pup have you see them there soooooooooo cute
Wolves just so happen to be
Wolves just so happen to be my favorite animal soooo... ^.^ I'm glad they're trying to take care of them
Wolf books
Have any of you read White Fang or Call of the Wild? They're both good books about wolves.
oh no
Poor wolves! they're so cute, i hope they don't die out , that would be so sad!
I LOVE WOLVES!
They're just such amazing creatures that some people don't like because they think they're dangerous. Yes, they can be, but they are beautiful creatures and they are just acting naturally! I hope the wolves are OK!
#SavetheWolves
i do kind of like wolves and they are actually kind of cute. i do hope they save the wolves tho.
that is weird that the wolves
that is weird that the wolves are dying out without human help
<3
Wolves often are thought of as bad. Just look at them in all the children's stories! In many places, people are killing them just because, you know, "They are wolves! They are bad! Kill them all!" If they didn't harm you, don't kill them! >_>
Also, if you KILL OFF all the wolves, deer will overpopulate. The grass will disappear, and the mice and such will leave. So will the bugs, and then the birds have nothing to eat. The whole biome is messed up. Wolves need to live, and they aren't really 'evil,' haha!
comment
I agree Hannah M! Recently I rewrote the story of The Three Little Pigs and made it so that is was the pigs who were being mean to the poor wolf.
Wolves
Julia,
I do agree that stories like The Three Little Pigs are a bit irregular. I'm sure stories like that were made so that children would stay away from wolves. Wolves were meant to eat meat, but if people are invading their territory and hunting all the prey, the wolves have to resort to hunting and eating farm animals. It isn't their fault, but rather our own.
@Hanna M
Sorry, Hannah! I understand. Thank you for pointing that out : )
Either or <>
The wolves are so cute! I want the wolves and the moose to live and neither die out. They are both really cute
Re--Wolves
Julia,
Haha, that's fine :D I hope people can do more to help the wolves. God gave us control over the animals, and I'm 100% that even means animals like lions, coyotes, tigers, and wolves, You know, the dangerous kinds :)
I mean, wolves aren't like the Wargs from Lord of the Rings. They aren't evil xD
Brenna
I read the Call of the Wild! It's such a good book! Still have to try White Fang.
@Hanna M and Brenna G
Hanna,
Ha! The Lord of the Rings is awesome. I seem to like all of the dangerous animals more than the cute and cuddly ones : )
Brenna,
White Fang was definitely my favorite out of the two. I've read it twice ; )
LotR
They made the Wargs look like hyenas in LotR :(
I'm glad they made them look like evil wolves in The Hobbit.
Oliphants, dragons, Wargs, and the Horses of Rohan are my favorite, though.
Ack, I'm an obsessed Tolkienite :D
LOTR
Its been awhile since I've seen or read them all but I still remember a lot. You're right the Wargs did look like hyenas! : D
Cool!
Go wolves! :D
Osborne's sister, Molly, writing
Wolves are sooo cute. I agree with Rebekah. funny comment.
A.R.
I love the Lord of the Rings too! Who are your favorite characters? I like Aragorn and Legolas + others.
Lord of the Rings
Aragorn and Arwen are my favorite characters.
I love wolves! I watch so
I love wolves! I watch so many documentaries on things like this!
next thing you know
werewolves?ill take
we should ship all the wolfs
we should ship all the wolfs off to a island and then through photosynthesis they would come back and the world would be full of turkeys
RO
RO
LotR
Sam Gamgee and Aragorn are my favorites!
....I had better shut up now about Middle-Earth before I talk too much about The Silmarillion.
Oh, who here is a Tolkienite?
To mad
I like wolves even though I’ve never seen one I’ve seen coyotes and I kinda like them. We shouldn’t let them die. Save the wolves!
Ugh
I meant bad not mad. Stupid autocorrect!
wolves are a danger to
wolves are a danger to livestock and when they run out of livestock we won't have any food and
the wolves will turn to humans like they did in the Russian winters
Wolfs are so beautiful! Their
Wolfs are so beautiful! Their eyes give me the heebee-jeebees!
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