This seems like a costly plan. Couldn't they find hunters willing to travel to the island to moose hunt?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.freep.com/amp/431148002
They can take wolves from Wi if they want. We have plenty.

Wait! I thought the NPS was bent on letting "nature take its course?"

Apparently they don't mind messing with the natural plan of things, unless it conflicts with how THEY believe Nature ought to behave!

Pete

I thought some wolves crossed the ice a few years ago and at the time they expected the large game population to crash.

Who is "THEY"! Apparently "THEY" were wrong, AGAIN!

Idk... DNR or the University.

Why don’t the feds just have a limited quota and hunting season for moose? Would that not generate some money instead of spending it? KISS!!

I wrote a speech in college about predator control. Isle Royal wolves we're one of my examples why predator population control is needed

How did how paper address predator control on the island?

I ask because from my limited knowledge the reason wolves are nearly gone (estimated 1 remaining) is because of inbreeding.

And that circle of inbreeding will continue. Even with a reintroduction of new wolves. It’s an island. unless the lake freezes regularly, and they move back and forth to the mainland. It’s will be no different.

I'd like to read Gulo's input on this

I thought the very same thing reading this...... Gulo !

Ping, Gulo !

My question is this. The mainland of Minnesotas north has no real population of moose left. Wolves, disease, ticks, brainworm, cause being whatever. Why spend money to move wolves to the island to slaughter moose instead of moving some of the overpopulation back to the " mainland" of Minnesota? Hellooooo?
Pete is absolutely right above.

Osky

Maybe the Park Service is finding that tourist business is dropping because there are no habituated wolves to photograph.........much like Denali and the greenies always whining about declining wolf populations.

Well heck. They always find trained wolves for movies and documentaries, bring a couple in, have them howl on command, viewing greenies can have an orgasm, and everyone goes home happy! Particularly the moose!

Osky

Good plan !

A planned hunt would give hunter a chance to thin. Plus the great meat.

Set the season when its not Mid-January. But maybe November 1st. Weather permitting.

Have a drawing at $100 for a ticket. The ferry boats would love it.

White, Sharon, and others.

I've not kept up recently with the Isle Royale situation, although a lot of Dave Mech's earlier work (several decades ago) was real good wolf/moose interaction work, done on Isle Royale.

In my opinion, it doesn't take a metric boatload of wolves (or any other vertebrate species, for that matter) as founder populations to increase the genetic diversity and reduce the incidence of inbreeding, with resultant bottlenecks, birth deformities, and reduced vigor of the population. Geneticists and other biologist-types have for years relied on mathematical models and come up with astounding numbers that are "critical" to ensure genetic diversity. On the other hand, there are documented realities from a variety of species that have done well over many generations with a founder population of two. (Long as one's a male and one's a female). I'm not advocating reintroduction of wolves on Isle Royale. I seem to remember not too long ago that the National Park Service was advocating letting it "naturally" repopulate (or not) and see what happens (as Pete mentioned above).

In a Park situation, especially one that's "insular" (isolated from other populations), kick-starting the wolf population will probably result in rapid increases in the wolf population, the result being a decline in prey (moose) populations. Without management, the pendulum will again swing in favor of wolves, and the vicious cycle will undoubtedly repeat itself over the next few decades. Predator/Prey populations have historically never been in "balance" over the long-term. It is a roller-coaster of selective highs-and-lows. These wild cycles can be moderated, to the long-term benefit of both species, with reasonable management (sportsmen harvest). Obviously, that isn't going to happen in a National Park.

My two-cents worth...

Jack

So in 15 years they'll be trying to save the moose population, maybe.

In my opinion,If they want it so called natural without human hunters (which is not natural),then they should leave it alone.Let the wolves re-populate when the climatic conditions are right again,and in the meantime let the moose overbrowse,that,even in the absence of wolves, will eventually result in a decline of the moose to the point that the habitat will recover,and the cycle will repeat in the boom and bust of non management.
If they want a long term maximum sustainable ecosystem with wolves and moose,then management on an ongoing basis(like allowing regulated hunting and trapping on an annual basis) would work well.However,it may not be worth the effort in that place.