PRESS RELEASE: Howling For Wolves again calls for captive wolves to re-populate Michigan’s Isle Royale

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2018

CONTACT: Dr. Maureen Hackett, Howling For Wolves, 612.250.5915

 

 

 

(St. Paul, Minn.) – Today the National Park Service announced its plan to release 20-30 wolves on Michigan’s Isle Royale over the next three years in an effort to keep a wolf population on the island. Howling For Wolves again calls on the National Park Service and wildlife leaders to use captive wolves to re-populate Isle Royale.

 

Dr. Maureen Hackett, founder and president of Howling For Wolves, a Minnesota-based wolf advocacy organization, said in response:

 

“Howling For Wolves appreciates the goal of introducing wolves with wide genetic diversity to Isle Royale, but strongly believes wolves currently living in captivity should be chosen for this mission. 

 

“Using wild wolves is complicated, and has many damaging consequences including breaking up their family packs. The National Park Service should choose from the many captive wolves available to be freed. These include the more than 50 wolves recently rescued by court action from Minnesota’s Fur-Ever Wild who are now residing at Lockwood Animal Rescue Center in California. Even wolves at the Wildlife Science Center in Minnesota, currently living a caged and desolate existence, could be freed.  

 

“While challenges exist no matter what wolves are used for the re-population, using captive wolves will avoid many selection problems involved with wild wolves and removing them from their territories. Using captive wolves is a win-win solution that repays them for their ecological service and avoids causing harm to wild wolves. This offers a great opportunity for scientific studies about re-wilding captive species.

 

###

 

Howling For Wolves is a Minnesota-based wolf advocacy organization that educates the public about the wild wolf to foster tolerance and to ensure the wolf’s long-term survival. Howling For Wolves opposes recreational wolf hunting and trapping and all wildlife snaring. We currently support the continuation of federal protections for the wolf by the Endangered Species Act. 

3