Iconic island study on its last legs

Now that Lake Superior isn't freezing as often, the wolves don't have a chance to come in from the mainland and maintain the genetic diversity of the pack. If they die off, the moose will destroy the fir trees, and die off themselves.

Over the past 35 or so years I've been there a few dozen times and have never seen a wolf. I've heard them but that was about it. Have seen a few moose though. There has also been many years where there has been an ice bridge between Isle Royal and the Sibley Peninsula. Sometimes it is only there for days or a week depending on the winds which they don't mention in the article. It's not uncommon for the wind, depending on direction and speed to wipe out 6" of ice in hours. There may have been opportunity for more wolves to get there but the timing would have to be right for them, which apparently it hasn't been.

It's an important place too, because we can study their habits of predator vs. prey in an environment reasonably free of other predators and prey. That'll let us know how best to conserve populations in other places; how many moose tags should be issued or whether to let a wolf population rise.

Very true. Almost wish they would introduce another male or female wolf. Although if at some point in the future there are a few new ones that make it there, it could start all over. Very minimal human impact as well. Not sure they have anyone at all there in the winter.

Funny you should say that at the same time it's in the news that Superior has record levels of ice coverage.

http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2014/02/ ... n-decades/

About 5 years ago a friend of mine met two Americans on snow machines around the Sibley Peninsula (Sleeping Giant). They were from Houghton Michigan and snowmobile across Lake Superior from the Michigan UP to Isle Royal and then on to Canada. Quite dangerous if you ask me but I guess they made it.
Lots of freezing is good for lake levels because it won't evaporate at the normal huge pace it does in winter.

In the winter of 1976/1977 the ocean between Cape Cod and Nantucket froze over and my father drove our Ford Econoline over to the island to beat paying for the ferry crossing. He was one of several people who pulled this stunt.

So to save maybe $15 on the ferry he ended up paying around $800 in fines and getting probation for reckless endangerment. And that was in 1976 dollars!

Served him right, the cheap SOB.

Funny you should say that at the same time it's in the news that Superior has record levels of ice coverage.

http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2014/02/ ... n-decades/

Yep, first time since the 1970's. ('once' doesn't make a pattern )

The wolves need more than once since their great great grandfather's time in order to maintain genetic diversity on the island.

Funny you should say that at the same time it's in the news that Superior has record levels of ice coverage.

http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2014/02/ ... n-decades/

Yep, first time since the 1970's. ('once' doesn't make a pattern )



Once does not make a pattern but once is sufficient to disprove claims of any other pattern.

Snort

Mmmmmm, no. 'One' is an anomaly in the data.

http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/be ... index.html

This is cool. You can sweep the map back and forth to see how the ice was last year on that day and the difference. Not a big surprise to us who live close to the lake this year to see the lake that frozen over.

Mmmmmm, no. 'One' is an anomaly in the data.

Reminds me of a pretty accomplished jihadi who was credited with over thirty successful attacks.

I shot him .

It was sufficient to disprove his notions of a successful pattern.