Beginning today and until March 13, the DNR is asking individuals in the counties making up the upper portion of the Lower Peninsula to keep an eye out for any sign of the gray wolf.
“The purpose of the survey is to verify the presence of wolves both where we have previously confirmed animals and to detect new occurrences in other areas,” said DNRE wildlife biologist Jennifer Kleitch. “Given the low probability of observing a wolf or tracks in the Lower Peninsula it’s helpful to have as many eyes looking as possible. That’s why public reports are so important.”
The Gray Wolf in Michigan
The gray wolf once ranged over most of the nation and all of Michigan. In 1817, the U.S. Congress passed a law establishing a wolf bounty. In 1838 when the first legislature was seated in Michigan, the ninth law they passed was a wolf bounty. It is estimated that by 1910, wolves had been totally removed from the Lower Peninsula. With gray wolves only remaining in the Upper Peninsula, the bounty continued until 1922, when it was replaced by a state trapper system.
But in 1935, the bounty was reinstated and it continued as law until 1960. By that time it is believed that all wolves had been removed from the state. Only five years later, in 1965, the gray wolf was protected in the state, but at that time it was an empty gesture as none of the animals were known to still live within Michigan’s borders. Protection of the wolves then spread nationwide when they were placed on the protected list by the federal government.
It was not until the 1990s that the gray wolf once again began to inhabit the more remote areas of the Upper Peninsula. Those that did return came from Canada and Wisconsin and over the years have continued to expand their range. Gray wolves can now be found in all areas of the Upper Peninsula that will support them, which is estimated to be 65-percent of the land area.
Searching for Michigan Wolves
It was not until 2004 that evidence was found that the Gray Wolf had once again returned to the upper portion of the Lower Peninsula when one of the animals was accidentally killed in Presque Isle County. Further evidence that the wolf has returned came in Cheboygan County in 2010 when wolf breeding was verified by the DNRE.
Over the next 30 days, survey teams will be inspecting areas where wolves have been reported before in the Lower Peninsula. When sightings come in from the public, the teams will then focus on those areas to try to determine if what was reported is indeed a wolf and if so, to find any other sign of the animal.
“It’s important that observations are reported in a timely manner so we can work with fresh evidence. If the public finds what they believe are wolf tracks, they should preserve the physical evidence and disturb it as little as possible or take a photo of the tracks alongside a ruler,” Kleitch said. “If someone has a photo of a wolf in the Lower Peninsula, we’d certainly be interested in that as well.”
Reporting Wolf Sightings
The DNRE is asking that anyone who sees a wolf or their tracks report the finding to the Gaylord Operations Service Center. The information can be called into the center at 989-732-3541, ext. 5901 or reported online at the Wolf Observation Report site.
For more information on the population of the gray wolf in Michigan and for links to other websites related to wolves go to the DNRE Wolf page.
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