One of our Blog readers has a knack for parody and outright sarcasm as it relates to the State Of Idaho seemingly consumed with the need to kill as many Wolves as they possibly can................Does anyone do any legitimate work in Idaho?..............Does anyone bother to read in Idaho?.......................You would think that you are watching a Science Fiction film about invaders from Mars when you read the daily diatribe against Wolves that is published, broadcast and "tabletop talked" at saloons and taverns across this State on a daily basis..................To be fair, Americans of all stripes have certain concerns about living wild animals in their midst,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,But just as fair, many of these same Americans are at least willing to open their minds a bit about co-existence with "The Creator's" other carniverous creatures ......................The movie NOAH, starring Russell Crowe is coming out in a few weeks,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,If there is a God or Gods or a Force that is responsible for all living things on this Planet(for each of us to have our own thoughts and beliefs yea and nea on this matter), "he, she or it" seems to have wanted all of life's creation to "spread their wings, multiply and take their rightful place in the circle of life................Biodiversity with the creatures that bite, sting, growl and roar were allowed on Noah's Ark just like those creatures that mewed, purred and neighed,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,WAKE UP FELLOW IDAHO NEIGHBORS,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,AND ALL OF YOU OTHER AMERICANS WHO ARE SO QUICK TO KILL BABY KILL WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITH CARNIVORES IN OUR MIDST....................The Wolves, Pumas, Bears, Coyotes, Wolverines, Foxes, Alligators, Sharks, et al. merit their place alongside us..........If we want the most robust gene pool and "planet potential positive" conditions for ourselves and future generations, then we do need to retain and nurture all of the "cogs and wheels", not just those we want to hunt, eat, pet or farm..............Thank you Annonymous Blog Reader for your "tongue-in-cheek" take on our Wolf crazed Idaho neighbors------May they(and all of us) wake up and embrace all of life around us,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,REMEMBER, ONCE AN ORGANISM IS GONE, IT IS GONE AND WE NEVER CAN BRING EM BACK--WE HAVE EXTERMINATED TOO MANY OF CREATURES ALREADY---NO MORE CARNAGE!

 Long Range Tactical hunters join State and Federal officials in hunt for killer wolf in Sun Valley

 OK folks. I still have tears running down my cheeks - not from crying but from laughing so hard. I see that Idaho For Wildlife have sent in Delta Force hunters to take out wolves west of Hailey, Idaho.

You see in Idaho hunters are not just run of the mill hunters. Our Idaho hunters, especially those who belong to anti-wolf groups like Idaho For Wildlife or Save Western Wildlife, are known as, now here goes, Long Range Tactical Hunters.

Yes, because this wolf is so aggressive as to have killed a "baby horse" and attacked two dogs, we have some of Idaho elite hunters after the wolf NOT TO MENTION, Wildlife Services in an airplane circling over head to instill "shock and awe" into this wolf. I am amazed that Wildlife Services hasn't employed these elite gunmen decades ago but I guess I didn't know that such men existed except in our military.

I do know that they have a non-fiction book entitled Warrior Dreams that wannabee "Long Range Tactical Hunters" should read, if they know how. I read the book and realized that I am just about the right age to become one of these tactical specimens because they normally are baby-boomer age with gray hair, large bellies and beards of various sorts.

Camo is what they wear from morning til night often with headgear labeled NRA and have slogans on their diesels talking about "Smoke-A-Pack-A-Day" which I assume are Lucky Strikes.

 Now I don't know if you've seen any of Idaho's "Long Range Tactical Hunters" or not but usually they drive big diesel pickups with ATVs in the back and wear camo clothes, carry guns on their hips, ankles, and in shoulder holsters along with larger automatic weapons with banana clips slung over their shoulders but seldom walk if they can ride their ATVs, Rhinos or snow machines - of course all with silent engines in "stealth mode" when in pursuit of wolves so as not to scare them when they sneak up on them.

 You can kind of get the pulse beat of this operation when you read the attached email from this anti-wolf group - people putting $100 bills on their windshield and all. You see "Long Range Tactical Hunters" take this hunting serious in Idaho, especially when the animal is a non-Native, gigantic, mega Canuck wolf from way up Nort in Canada where wolves run in packs - this in contrast to the normal coyote-size wolves that hunted rabbits as solitary animals and lived in harmony with ranchers before the wolf reintroduction.

These oversized, bloodthirsty wolves that were reintroduced and hunt baby horses because of their genetic inclination for "reflex sport-killing take real men to hunt them down. Whiskey and beer are often part of the tactical teams tool chest and helps fuel their courage until they can hit a steakhouse to "beef up" for tomorrow's hunt. I wish I had video footage of these athletic "Long Range Tactical Hunters" storming the hillsides around Hailey but this operation is covert because these men don't want other average, run-of-the-mill hunters seeing their tactics in action.

 Never before in history have Wildlife Services and Idaho's "Long Range Tactical Hunters" teamed up to go after wolves before but with Governor Otters $2 million "wolf kill bill" funded for years to come I am guessing these men will probably introduce drones into the equation too, except I heard that Wildlife Services were going to take their marbles and go home if drones got in the way of their airplanes and helicopters.

 Well, I have to reread this email one more time because my doctor tells me that hysterical laughing is really good for blood pressure and health and now that my eyes have cleared up from my last uncontrollable chuckles, I'm ready to risk it one more time

 Don't hesitate to share this with others, but realize, we take wolf killin' seriously in Idaho, so if anybody thinks they want to come and hunt for this wolf, I think they should at least be X Marines, X Navy Seals, or X Rangers because that would be the only kind of men/women that could match the caliber (no pun intended) of our "LONG RANGE TACTICAL HUNTERS" in Idaho.

PS - as IdahoForWolves says: "Hopefully this dangerous wolf will be brought down soon!"

 http://idahoforwildlife.com/component/content/article/2-content/43-sun-valley-wolf-hunt

Maritme College of Forest Technology students have assisted Fundy National Park biologists over the past three years monitoring the 80 to 100 Moose who call the Park home...................One of the smallest of Canada's National Parks at 206 km,, FUNDY was established to protect a remnant of the Maritime Acadian Highlands of Eastern Canada in New Brunswick...........................Moose density in and around Fundy National Park to be approximately 0.174 moose/km2........... Given that a 'healthy' population density is around 0.2-0.4 individuals/km2, one might feel that there is a healthy Wolf population preying on Moose..............Wolves are absent in this part of Canada and it is the lack of young vegetation in the Park that depresses the Moose population..................Moose use the protected forest of FUNDY as a refuge, but forage outside the Park where younger foilage is available for their feeding needs.

http://www.cbc.ca/1.2548641

Aerial moose survey conducted at Fundy Park

CBC News Posted: Feb 27, 2012 1:06 PM AT Last Updated: Feb 27, 2012 2:27 PM AT

Researchers counted the number of moose in Fundy National Park on Sunday. (Parks Canada)

Fundy National Park staff and students from the Maritime College of Forest Technology conducted an aerial moose survey on Sunday.
The weekend snow storm forced the researchers to conduct the entire moose survey on Sunday, instead of using both days to count the local moose population.
While the snowfall reduced the survey to a single day, a Parks Canada news release said the timing was ideal.



"The snowfall was perfect timing. Moose are much easier to track if there is fresh snow within 72 hours prior to the survey. Fresh tracks can then be followed to the current location of the moose," the release said.

The aerial moose survey is the second in a three-year initiative.
The researchers fly around the southern New Brunswick park in a helicopter, which is normally flying 100 metres in the air. Once moose tracks are spotted, the helicopter flies lower so the researchers can determine if the moose is male, female, young or old.

In 1993, the last time a three-year survey was conducted, there were between 80 and 100 moose in the park.

It's too early to determine any trends in the moose population, according to the The Parks Canada statement. But a similar number of moose were seen in the last survey, compared to the 2011 portion of the current survey, the agency said.

Fundy National Park
Directions
Fundy National Park is located on the Bay of Fundy, near the village of Alma, New Brunswick. The Park showcases a rugged coastline which rises up to the Acadian Highlands, the highest tides in the world, and more than 25 waterfalls. Wikipedia
Address: Headquarters Campground Rd, Alma, NB, Canada
Area: 79.54 sq miles (206 km²)
Province: New Brunswick
Phone: +1 506-887-6000
Management: Parks Canada

Fundy National Park was established in 1948, not so much to preserve an ecosystem, as to rescue one. The landscape represents the Maritime Acadian Highlands Natural Region of Canada, and offers a number of recreational activities as well as natural pursuits.

 

At 206 square kilometres, it may be small for a National Park, but it encapsulates the history of the Fundy Shore in New Brunswick, when early settlers struggled to eke out a living from the stony soil, and shipbuilding was in its heyday.

 

The park has two distinct faces: the Fundy coastline with its world famous giant tides and inter-tidal zones rich with marine life, and its interior backcountry of Acadian forests, once sacrificed to the needs of civilization, now on the road to recovery and criss-crossed with hiking trails.

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Collaborative aerial moose surveys in the Fundy Biosphere

If it seems like the answer to most moose-related questions is "we don't know", you're right! Despite our love of moose, there are many basic questions that remain unanswered. The Fundy Biosphere Reserve is trying to answer at least one good question: how many moose are in the Fundy Biosphere region? Since aerial surveys were last conducted by DNR in our region in 1995, there is a need for a current, up-to-date estimate.
Working together with the Maritime College of Forest Technology8, Fundy National Park9, and with funding through the New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund10, we have been conducting aerial moose surveys within and around Fundy National Park. These surveys are important for several reasons: they will help us to generate accurate moose density data; they will allow us to test and refine protocol for future aerial moose surveys; and they help to build the research and communication capacity of our future biologists and resource managers. This year (2012-2013) will be our third and final year of aerial moose surveying, and we are eager to get back up in the air this winter.

Through our aerial surveys, we estimate the moose density in and around Fundy National Park to be approximately 0.174 moose/km2. Given that a 'healthy' population density is around 0.2-0.4 individuals/km2, this estimate might seem a little low; especially since National Parks are supposed to provide protection to wildlife and their habitat. Does this mean that our moose population is unhealthy? In short, no! There are several factors that are important for the interpretation of this density estimate.

First, since logging activities are prohibited in Fundy National Park, and forest fires have been suppressed for over 60 years, much of the Park is mature forest cover. Mature forest cover provides moose with essential habitat for thermoregulation in both the summer and winter months (7); however, it does not provide the quantity of young, regenerating forage necessary to feed high densities of moose. Given the Park's close proximity to large, industrial clear cuts, it is likely that moose use the Park as a sort of home base: they feed in nearby clear cuts, but return to the dense, old-growth forest when needed. 

Thus on any given day, the moose density in the Park may be low, but its importance or value as a refuge for the Fundy biosphere's moose population cannot be underestimated. In fact, access to large tracts of mature wilderness like Fundy National Park may be one of the differences between the health of Nova Scotia's and New Brunswick's moose populations.

The future of moose

The future of moose in the Fundy biosphere depends on the balance that we strike between our own interests, and the biological (e.g. habitat) needs of the moose population. If we collectively decide that moose are important to us, for their value as a game species, a provincial icon, or simply because we like having them around, then the future of moose looks bright. Public interest fuels political interests in funding research and preserving habitat. By staying informed and by engaging younger generations, we are ensuring the future of our moose.

For more information

1. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 2009. Moose Biology. Ministry of Natural Resources, Wildlife Management. http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/FW/2ColumnSubPage/STDPROD_090559.html
2. Parker, G. 2003. Status report on the Eastern Moose (Alces alces americana Clinton) in Mainland Nova Scotia. Report prepared for the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
3. Risenhoover, K.L., Maas, S.A. 1987. The influence of moose on the composition and structure of Ilse Royale forests. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 17(5): 357-364.
4. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 2009. Moose Population Objectives Setting Guidelines. http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@fw/documents/document/263993.pdf
5. New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources. Big Game Harvest Reports 2011. New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife Branch, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.
6. Think Moose. 2011. New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. www.gnb.ca/0113/moose/think-moose-e.asp
7. Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resrouces. 2007. Recovery Plan for Moose (Alces alces Americana) in Mainland Nova Scotia
8. Maritime College of Forest Technology. 2012. www.mcft.ca/en
9. Fundy National Park. 2012. www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/fundy/index.aspx
10. New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund. 2012. www.nbwtf.ca/eindex.asp
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Students from the Maritime College of Forest Technology used helicopters on Saturday to try and find out how many moose are in Fundy National Park.

The students said it was good hands-on experience for a future career, but it also yields vital information for Parks Canada.

“It's part of the long-term monitoring that the parks are interested in and it's real life experience for our students, so they get that technical training,” said Gerry Redmond, director of the Maritime College of Forest Technology.

Fifteen students poured over aerial grids of the 200 square kilometre park hoping to spot and document moose below.

They said the animals are an important indicator of the health of the ecosystem so their data is crucial to finding out how Fundy is doing.

“Over the past three years we're starting to get a pretty good picture that the moose density here in the park is at a healthy level,” said park official Livia Goodbrand.

The students also set up about 20 remote cameras to check on predators in the region.

Experiencing some of the most severe drought conditions in modern times, New Mexico, Utah and Oregon have recognized the Beaver as an animal that can help protect water supplies by it's dam building...............The ponds that are created by the Beaver allow water to slowly soak into the ground rather than running off quickly into rivers and streams................Our Beaver was our most valuable furbearer in the 17th Century, prized for it's fur for felt hats.................Arguably valued today for a much more important societal need--water supply enhancement

er

Beaver Restoration  Plan Could Help Climate  Adaptation Our climate hero, the American beaver,  will be getting its own management  plan in New Mexico after the state  senate passed a memorial recognizing  the busy rodent’s value to water  supplies and ecosystems—especially  in times of drought. The beaver memorial acknowledges  that the dams, ponds and associated  wetlands created by beaver are known  to increase groundwater percolation,  which raises local groundwater tables  and increases water storage.  The  memorial also recognizes the critical  role that ecosystem restoration could  play in protecting and recovering  many imperiled species. WildEarth Guardians worked with  state lawmakers to draft the  memorial and shepherd it through  the state legislature. The memorial  directs the state wildlife agency  and other relevant agencies to report  back to the legislature by September  1st on an approach for how best to  develop the beaver management plan. Only Oregon and Utah have  statewide beaver management  plans, both of which recognize  the climate adaptation benefits  beaver can offer. A WildEarth Guardians statewide  assessment found beaver populations  are dangerously low on public lands  in New Mexico. Over 80% of streams  on public lands could support the  dam-building ecosystem engineer.  And yet recent surveys have found  few active beaver in streams and  rivers on national forests in the state.  Now the hard work begins of  coordinating a multi-agency and  stakeholder process to develop  the management plan that benefits  beaver and New Mexico’s headwaters.  WildEarth Guardians will continue to  lead the reestablishment of  functional beaver populations on  public lands across the state. This is a big victory for beaver  and ecosystems in the West and  we hope you will join us and  support this critical ecosystem  restoration and climate adaptation  work. For the Wild, Bryan Bird Wild Places Program Director WildEarth Guardians bbird@wildearthguardians.org

"Wolf hounding is barbaric, in-humane and archaic and has no place in a civilized society" ---Rachel Tilseth.......................Rachel will be speaking on Earth Day, April 22 at the State Capital in Madison Wisconsin on this important Wolf Protection Measure .........She is also pushing the Wisconsin Legislature to vote down the proposed amendment that would allow hunters to walk onto private property to retrieve their Hounds during hunting season.................Rachel rightly sees this proposed law as allowing hunters to pursue Wolves with hounds without restrictions across all property, public or private

From: Rachel Tilseth [mailto:wolvesdouglasco@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2014 5:17 PM
To: Meril, Rick
Subject: Wisc Wolf Day

Hi Rick

Can you share our poster! Thank you!

www.facebook.com/WolvesOfDouglasCountyWisconsin

"Wolf hounding is barbaric, in-humane and archaic and has no place in a civilized society." Rachel Tilseth 

A grassroots community organization designed for change with citizen participation, action and leadership currently working on banning wolf hounding

Mission

To educate Wisconsinites about the lives of wolves living within the northern forests in Wisconsin for the purpose of coexisting with wolves. To create a community of followers from northern Wisconsin where these wolf packs live and interested communities from USA and abroad. And to bring awareness through the use of: Scientific facts, Social, economic factors that impact wolves and people. Lastly create public wolf awareness through: Wolf Events, Wolf Eco Tourism, research methods for predator friendly ways to farm and ranch and politically support legislative change in Wisconsin/US for this keystone predator...the wolf.

Description

WODCW is an entity, distinct & independent, wolf education and advocacy grassroots community organization designed for change with citizen participation, action and leadership. of the north woods Email us at wolvesdouglasco@gmail.com . WODCW finds methods to coexist with wolves through education and awareness. Is working legislatively to ban the practice of wolf hounding in Wisconsin.
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From: Rachel Tilseth [mailto:wolvesdouglasco@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 12:21 PM
To: Meril, Rick
Subject: hounders -vs- private property rights

Rick

There's a battle looming here in Wisc between hounders and private property rights.  Please share. As always thank you Rachel



Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin "Wisconsinites do you want your private property rights taken away by a small minority of hunting extremists?" That is what the hounders are asking in one of the questions:

No. 48 of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress agenda is: “Do you support legislation that would allow the owner of a hunting dog the ability to retrieve their hunting dog without landowner’s permission?”
http://dnr.wi.gov/about/wcc/

I've been hearing from property owners all across the Wisc north woods complaining about hounders violating property rights. I discussed this with the DNR's head wolf biologist who agrees hounders create many problems across the north woods. I think this must be addressed and stopped.

WODCW is a voice for these concerns and advises all north woods residents to attend the Wisconsin Conservation Congress in your county on April 14th. Do not let anyone take away your private property rights!
Rachel 

THE AMERICAN PRAIRIE RESERVE is in the process of accumulating 3 million acres of Montana habitat with the goal of restoring the species that roamed this region 500 years ago, long prior to Lewis & Clark..............Griz, Gray Wolves, Bison, Pronghorn, et al. once again in concert is the plan of the RESERVE..................Extreme climactic conditions have characterized this part of the world making it difficult for Ranching and Farming, but not for natures enduring plan for the land.......Listen to American Prairie Reserve Intern, Michelle Berry's take on what the PRAIRIE RESERVE will do for wildlife....."For the ungulate species that American Prairie Reserve (APR) is trying to recover, bigger is better". ...................."A large reserve would allow wildlife to utilize more of the strategies in their survival toolbox"....................."It may also be able to buffer the adverse effects of climate change by encompassing more habitat niches and providing more space for wildlife to disperse while still remaining within reserve boundaries". ..............."Furthermore, a large area has the capacity to support higher numbers of wildlife, which greatly reduces the risk of a population extinction event"--------REWILDING AT IT'S FINEST unfolding on the Prairie of Montana

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/11/02

/montanas-glaciated-plains-thinking-big-across-time-and-space/#.Uw1KU3vl9D8.email

Posted by Sean Gerrity of American Prairie Reserve, National Geographic Fellow on November 2, 2012

(3)

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Bison and elk roam American Prairie Reserve. Photo courtesy of Jeff Fox.

American Prairie Reserve’s mission to create a reserve of more than three million acres represents one of the largest conservation projects in the United States today. The size of the project is hard to grasp – even a small piece of the 274,000 acres that currently comprise the Reserve seems like an endless “sea of grass” to both first-time and seasoned visitors. However, after ten weeks of research on historical wildlife populations of Montana’s glaciated plains, I have become increasingly convinced that APR’s vision is necessary. If we want to understand the behavior and ecology of grassland species, we need to think big.

America’s iconic species – bison, pronghorn, elk, wolves, grizzly bears – evolved over tens of thousands of years on a wide-open continent. Over this long period of time, these species became well adapted to environmental “stochasticity,” the highly dynamic and unpredictable nature of their habitat. In fact, the prairie is one of the most dynamic ecosystems in the world.

Pronghorn race across the plains. Photo courtesy of Diane Hargreaves.

Settlers came to Montana in the early 20th century after being told that if they turned the soil they could transform the rugged landscape and cultivate a fertile Eden. A few years of unusually (and well-timed) wet conditions in the 1910′s bolstered this belief, but a severe drought in the 1920′s caused devastation for most agricultural producers. Unlike its settlers, though, the region’s wildlife had evolved several adaptations to deal with these rapid and extreme fluctuations. It turns out that the key to persistence in a highly stochastic environment is to employ a range of survival techniques.

On a wide-open continent, ungulates like elk, deer and pronghorn thrived in many different habitats and were able to chose from a toolkit of survival strategies grounded in their history and experience on the land. If conditions were optimal, herds would be inclined to stay put, but in periods of high environmental variance, they would have had to choose a new strategy. For instance, when temperatures dropped abnormally low, ungulates fled the prairie and sought thermal refuge in the Missouri River Breaks or the Rocky Mountains.

Elk in Autumn. Photo courtesy of Gib Myers/APR.

Through my research, I also discovered the debate over whether bison were historically a migratory or a nomadic species. Did they follow specific migratory patterns, or did they move in a sporadic, localized manner related to the availability of food? We’re not sure, but the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Regardless, much of the migratory behavior that we observe in terrestrial species today is shaped by human intervention. We have severely restricted the habitats of most wildlife species, and climate change threatens what marginal areas remain.

Recent studies predict that changes in climate, such as increases in severe weather events and changes in precipitation levels, will affect grassland ecosystems, from native plant and weed distribution to altered fire regimes. Conservation planners will have to react to these to the best of their ability within the limits of science, funds, and space.

For the ungulate species that American Prairie Reserve (APR) is trying to recover, bigger is better. A large reserve would allow wildlife to utilize more of the strategies in their survival toolbox. It may also be able to buffer the adverse effects of climate change by encompassing more habitat niches and providing more space for wildlife to disperse while still remaining within reserve boundaries. Furthermore, a large area has the capacity to support higher numbers of wildlife, which greatly reduces the risk of a population extinction event.

Late afternoon light on the Reserve. Photo courtesy of Michelle Berry.

American Prairie Reserve recently celebrated the acquisition of a 150,000-acre property that more than doubled the size of previous habitat and added 16 miles of shared border with the 1.1 million-acre Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Even though the goal of APR seems very ambitious at times, we must remember that wildlife persisted on a much larger landscape for thousands of years before Lewis and Clark ever walked on this land.

Thus, it is a mistake to conceptually box these species into a specific habitat-type or set of behaviors. As Lewis put it, the historical American West contained “immence herds of Buffaloe, Elk, deer and antelopes feeding in one common and boundless pasture.” While we will never be able to recapture the full picture of historical wildlife on the frontier, American Prairie Reserve can reestablish a pretty big chunk of that natural legacy.

American Prairie Reserve intern Michelle Berry is a Master’s student in environmental studies at Stanford. She has been tasked with examining historical works of literature and other primary sources to establish wildlife population estimates in the Reserve region of northeastern Montana.Her 10-week internship was made possible by the Bill Lane Center for the American West.

While there are at least two and perhaps additional new Wolf pups alive on Isle Royale, one of the 8 adults is dead after crossing the ice bridge to Ontario and another died on Island itself.................so now, 9 Wolves trying to make a comeback after having declined from 24 5 years ago----with Moose numbers doubling to 1000 strong during the same span of time.............Will The National Park Service infuse the Island with additional Wolves as Wolf Study Leader Rolf Peterson is recommending or will they let nature takes it's course and wait to see what the next few years brings for these Lobos and their Moose "dance partners"

http://www.bringmethenews.com/2014/02/25/wolf-from-dwindling-isle-royale-pack-found-dead-on-north-shore/#.Uw2N2JpMVng.email

Wolf from dwindling Isle Royale pack found dead on north shore

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• February 25, 2014
 
• By William Wilcoxen

A 5-year-old female wolf who crossed an ice bridge from her home on Isle Royale was found dead near Grand Portage.

Michigan Technological University biologist Rolf Peterson tells the Associated Press the cause of death was not immediately clear and an autopsy is planned.

The radio-collared wolf had been named Isabelle by researchers who for decades have used the island in Lake Superior as a laboratory to study the predator-prey relationship between wolves and moose.

Concern about the future of Isle Royale’s wolves has grown as the population has shrunk. The AP says wolf numbers fell to 8 last year, down from 24 five years earlier.

An article published in the magazine Nature this month explains that some scientists – including the two biologists now leading the Isle Royale study – favor transplanting other wolves onto the island to replenish its inbred population.

Other researchers disagree and think nature should be given more time to run its course. Wolf expert David Mech of the U.S. Geological Survey told the Star Tribune this month the wolf numbers on the island could still rebound, pointing to the recent birth of new pups there.

The AP story says three pups survived their first few months at Isle Royale but the deaths of Isabelle and another adult would put the population at nine.

Unless, of course, wolves other than Isabelle have made use of that ice bridge this winter. An editorial in the Chicago Tribune Monday expressed hope that mainland wolves from Minnesota or Ontario would make their way to Isle Royale, which is a national park. The Tribune says ice connections to the island were once common but have become more scarce, with 2008 being the last winter that offered one.

With Lake Superior 90 percent ice-covered this winter, the idea of Isle Royale wolves mingling with mainlanders has captured some imaginations. In a tongue-in-cheek article last week a writer for MinnPost explained that an NSA connection helped him track down the radio frequency of Isabelle  and conduct a telephone interview with the wolf as she visited a Thunder Bay restaurant.  (“Suffice it to say, I’m 5 years old now and the clock is ticking.”)

Michigan Tech’s Peterson tells the Star Tribune that the dwindling wolf numbers threaten Isle Royale’s ecosystem. There’s been an explosion in the moose population, which Peterson says has doubled since 2006 and now sits near 1,000.  Moose feed mainly on balsam fir. If  that tree disappears from the island it’s unlikely that either moose or wolf would survive, he says.