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IR Wolf dies

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:25 am
by johnhens
WOLF REINTRODUCTION UPDATE: Since relocating four wolves to Isle Royale this fall, park biologists have been tracking them using GPS technology, which allows daily monitoring of movement. The National Park Service confirmed today that one of the wolves relocated to the park has died. Park staff became concerned when location data for the male wolf indicated a mortality signal, despite the fact that the collar was not functioning properly. The wolf’s collar malfunctioned from the onset of the project where it was sending a mortality signal even while game cameras provided photos of it and the collar tracked movements from the release site to the middle of the island and back.

Late last month, the collar indicated his movements appeared to be confined to a small location and the collar was in mortality mode. Because of the earlier malfunctions, park staff needed to determine whether the signal was truly a mortality signal. Isle Royale staff and partners from Grand Portage Band of Chippewa traveled to the island to find the wolf. They located it through telemetry and converged on the carcass to do a site investigation and recover it for necropsy. There was no obvious cause of death and no indication of wolf on wolf mortality. The wolf is being transported to the US Geological Services wildlife health lab in Madison, Wisconsin, for necropsy. Results are expected in December.

The three remaining relocated wolves are doing well and their movements are being tracked through GPS. They have occasionally been within 700 feet of each other while exploring the island. The park is continuing with this project and is planning relocation of wolves from Ontario in January.