PRESS RELEASE: Howling For Wolves repeats calls for captive wolves to re-populate Michigan’s Isle Royale after two of five wolves die

PRESS RELEASE FROM HOWLING FOR WOLVES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 14, 2018
CONTACT: Dr. Maureen Hackett, Howling For Wolves, 612.250.5915

 
Howling For Wolves repeats calls for captive wolves to re-populate Michigan’s Isle Royale after two of five wolves die

 
(St. Paul, Minn.) – Earlier today the National Park Service announced yet another death of a wolf meant to re-populate Michigan’s Isle Royale. The death of this male wolf leaves three wolves meant to repopulate the island national park. The first wolf, a female, died last month shortly after she was sedated for transport.
 
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 clearly something is going wrong, with the death of two of five wolves since the project started roughly one month ago. We repeat our call to relocate wolves currently living in captivity in hand-picked packs to be chosen for this mission. 
 
“Using wild wolves is complicated with many damaging consequences including breaking up their family packs. The deceased four-year-old female wolf had previously given birth, and she likely had abandoned her pups when she was captured and then died. While challenges exist no matter what wolves are used for the re-population, using captive wolves has the bonus of giving freedom to wolves that have no chance of living wild and can avoid many selection and other problems with wild wolves. Using wild wolves disrupts functioning packs and removes 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.