Researchers forced to cut short an annual survey of wildlife on a remote Lake Superior island this winter due to unusually warm weather announced Tuesday that they managed to gather data that shows the wolf population is stable. Isle Royale is a 134,000-acre (54,200-hectare) island situated in far western Lake Superior between Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Thunder Bay, Canada. The park is a wildlife biologist’s dream, offering a rare opportunity to observe wolves and moose acting naturally without human influence. Scientists have conducted an annual survey of the island’s wolves and moose since 1958. It’s been going on every year except for 2021, when the pandemic forced researchers to cancel. Researchers typically conduct aerial surveys of the island to develop population estimates and observe animal behavior. The island doesn’t have a landing strip so the scientists use skiplanes that can land on the ice surrounding it. |
Cheng Lei China: Jailed Australian TV anchor jailed releases rare messageWeather updates: Warnings across South Island, Taranaki, Coromandel, Bay of PlentyVOX POPULI: Like Nobita in ‘Doraemon,’ we should never give up on ourselvesRussia election: Arrests for vandalism as ballot boxes targeted in Putin voteImmigration tightening might only be temporaryHong Kong launches nightlife campaign to boost 'nightVOX POPULI: Rooting for the Sendai killifish that survived the 2011 tsunamiChina's 'core socialist values' daubed on a London wall inspire war of wordsPolitics updates: Follow updates for the latest on government targetsVOX POPULI: LDP’s Nikai’s ‘expenditures’ on books must make libraries weep