USA: Wolf population remains stable despite hunting ban
A wolf survey in Michigan shows: the population remains stable even without hunting. The results refute the necessity of hobby hunting.
631 Wolves in Michigan
Wildlife biologists from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources published the results of the latest wolf survey in Michigan on 17 January 2023.
The survey, conducted in early 2022, shows that the wolf population on the Upper Peninsula remains stable, as it has for more than a decade.
«These results show a continuing trend of statistical stability, suggesting that gray wolves may have reached their biological carrying capacity on the Upper Peninsula,» said Cody Norton, the MDNR’s wolf specialist.
The minimum population estimate from the 2022 survey stands at 631 wolves, plus/minus 49 wolves. A total of 136 packs were estimated, with an average of 4.5 individuals per pack. «All estimates since 2011 have not differed statistically,» said Norton. The hobby hunting as population control is not necessary.
Trending results
The wolf population on the Upper Peninsula grew largely continuously from 1989 to 2011. Since 2011, the minimum estimate has remained stable, fluctuating between 618 and 695.
Change in legal status
The legal status of wolves has changed multiple times at both the federal and state level. Regardless of these changes, wolves in Michigan have exceeded federal and state recovery goals for 22 years.
Gray wolves are currently listed on the federal list of threatened and endangered species. Consequently, they may not be legally killed unless in defense of human life. More on the topic of wolf protection and wildlife.
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