Climate Change Is Burning a Wolf Pack’s Last Bridge to Survival

[Omaha Steve]

Without naturally forming ice bridges, natural reproduction may no longer be enough to save Isle Royale’s wolves.




(Photo: Wolves and Moose of Isle Royale/Getty Images)

March 16, 2015 By Taylor Hill

Taylor Hill is TakePart's associate environment and wildlife editor.

http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/03/12/there-are-9-wolves-left-island-and-climate-change-burning-bridge-their-survival?cmpid=tpenviro-eml-2015-03-21-radiation

For the gray wolves of Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park, climate change has turned their island home from a refuge of solitude into untenable isolation. From a population of 50 at its height, the number of wolves has dropped to fewer than nine on the 206-square-mile enclave today.

Soon the island population could go extinct, thanks to a warming world.

Isle Royale rises out of the northwest corner of Lake Superior, about 11 miles from Canada’s coastline. For its size, the island is thick with forest and teems with wildlife, especially moose.

Wolves were first spotted on Isle Royale in 1948; they were likely attracted by the moose. But how did either species get out there in the first place?


(Photo: Wolves and Moose of Isle Royale/Getty Images)

FULL story at link.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. Could they put in 'wildlife bridges'?

Or is the island simply too far from shore for such to be set up?

[jimlup]

3. Yes it is too far for a "bridge"

It is pretty close by boat (like a half of an hour's ride) but a "wildlife bridge" would not be technically viable.