Isle Royale Forums

Can anyone help identify this scat? I've posted the picture over on webshots.

http://thumb2.webshots.net/t/83/83/9/56 ... eOa_th.jpg

We saw it several times along the Greenstone, mostly at the east end of the island. It was on the trail and not necessarily near any water. It seems to be very vegetative. We thought moose but it seems too small. The contents looked like large cloves of garlic and had the color of the inside of a pear or apple.

The rangers at Windigo were unable to help us, but we didn't have the picture to show them. I'm hoping there's an expert here who know what it came from.

Sorry everyone! The previous image link is too small to help. Try this one:

http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/39009 ... 600Q85.jpg

Hmmm... Only so many things on the Isle are big enough to poop that much.

My first guess (and only a guess) would be that this time of year the wolves are hitting the apple trees (many of which are near Daisy Farm, thus, Easterly) for food. It's happened in the past, as they've had to close the campground there because of wolf activity.
It doesn't really resemble moose scat. That tends to be more pelletized.

Tom

PS: Pleasure to meet you on the boat Saturday! Glad to know you've made it back home OK!

My guess is something with a short (i.e. carnivorous) digestive tract an no grinding molars. The apples are not chewed or well digested. Since there is not much for scale my guess is either wolf or fox. Wolves love apples.