Isle Royale Wolves Thrive as Moose Numbers Plummet, No Calves Observed

15 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Apr 27

Researchers from Michigan Tech estimate 37 wolves and 524 moose on Isle Royale after a 2026 winter survey, with no moose calves seen for the first time in nearly 70 years.
The wolf population has rebounded from a low of two a decade ago, while moose numbers have dropped 75% since 2019, likely due to predation, with wolves killing nearly a quarter of moose in the past year.
Unusually warm weather and logistical challenges have hampered recent surveys, but scientists plan summer research to study how growing wolf packs might affect the island's ecosystem balance.

With no calves surviving the winter, are the island's moose headed for extinction?

How is this predator-prey war reshaping the island's entire forest ecosystem?

Is the wolves' brutal hunt actually forging a stronger moose herd for the future?

Will humans now have to intervene again to save the moose from the wolves?

Is this population crash simply a natural boom-and-bust cycle in a wild laboratory?