Report Nr. 3219 Simulated Howling Confirms Resident Wolves on Northern Michigan Islands

The timber wolf (Canis lupus) population in Michigan rebounded from near extinction to at least 57 animals in 1994. Wolves recolonized the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ontario, Canada. Ontario wolves migrate west into Michigan's Chippewa County, crossing the frozen St. Mary's River during winter. Large islands within the St. Mary's River, including Sugar, Neebish, and Drummond Islands, serve as travel corridors for transient wolves. Evidence of wolves in the Lower Peninsula has not been recorded in recent decades. During the winter of 1990-91, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) began conducting winter track surveys to determine the population status of wolves in the U.P. The first survey found 17 animals, 4 of which were located on Sugar, Neebish, and Drummond Islands. Subsequent surveys produced evidence of an increasing population with minimums of 21, 30, and 57 animals across the U.P. in 1992, 1993, and 1994, respectively. However, knowledge of summer population levels is lacking. When tested during the summer months, wolves responded to simulated howling on Sugar, Neebish, and Drummond Islands.