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An Enchanted Island
by Ann Mayo-Kiely
Isle Royale National Park, located 45 miles north of Michigan's Upper
Peninsula, in Lake Superior, is an ideal natural laboratory. In
1958 Durward Allen established there what would become the world's
longest-running, uninterrupted predator-prey study. 2008 marks the
50thanniversary of this seminal research project.
The Way We Were:
Remembering the Early Days
by Tracy O'Connell
The Isle Royale research project started when L. David Mech
accepted the opportunity to study the relationship of wolves and
moose. The early days of the project are fondly recalled a half
century later by Mech, Doug Smith, and Don Murray.
What Have We Learned from Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Research?
by John A. Vucetich
"How much human-caused mortality can a viable wolf population sustain?"
and "How do wolves affect prey populations?" are two concerns for
wolf managers. The Isle Royale wolf-moose project has provided
important insight into both questions. In its early years the
project provided real knowledge that portrayed wolves as they
are: predators, a natural part of ecosystems, not villains.
The Challenges of Long-Term Wolf Research
by Michael P. Nelson
The success of the Isle Royale wolf-moose study is easy to take
for granted, but it is naive to think that such an achievement
happens by good fortune and is prolonged by sheer momentum. But
what are the specific conditions that allow for long-term research
and enable it to succeed?
by Rolf Peterson
The 50-year study of wolves and moose in Isle Royale National Park
has survived and thrived because of the skill and devotion of
many supporters. One name, however, arises repeatedly throughout
the project's history: Robert (Bob) M. Linn. For almost 60 years,
Bob never missed a summer visit to the island.
by Rolf Peterson
For over 50 years the wolves on Isle Royale exhibited a remarkable
fear of people, even though there is not a safer place on the planet
for a wolf. I've thought this attitude could be attributed to
intergenerational learning; young wolves were taught by their elders
to avoid people, and thereafter they are not inclined to test the
limits of right and wrong.
by Jenn Carlson
One of my favorite places to be is the shore of Lake Superior.
From watching the cold waves, to agate hunting, to naming
the trees, I can spend countless happy hours wandering the beach,
contemplating the wonders of nature. This curiosity to learn about
the natural world was awakened at a young age by my family's camping
trips, and my thirst for knowledge has continued to this day. I
have also found a way to share my enthusiasm. As a science teacher,
I have the opportunity every day to empower my students to understand
the world around them.
A Half Century of Wolf-Moose Research on Isle Royale
by L. David Mech, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
This year we celebrate a half century of wolf-moose research on Isle Royale, that
special national park in Lake Superior. Little did I know on June 30, 1958, when
first my boot touched that isolated ecosystem, that my initial year of graduate study
would lead to another 50 years of researchÑand hopefully to many more. Possibly my
professor, Durward L. Allen of Purdue University, didnÕt even envision that.
Viruses: A Risk in Pup Management
by Lori Schmidt, Wolf Curator, International Wolf Center
As we prepare for the arrival of pups in 2008, the top priority for the wolf
care staff is assessment of disease risk to the pups. Two of the biggest disease
risks are canine parvovirus and canine coronavirus. Parvovirus is a highly contagious
virus that can be spread by physical contactwith infected dogs, shed as
cells in dog feces (possibly after a vaccination), and can become airborne, surviving
in clothes, pores of walls and on the soles of shoes for several months.
The Rest of the Story
by Carolyn C. Peterson
My husband, Rolf Peterson, likes to refer to Isle Royale as an
outdoor laboratory, but I have always felt excluded by that
image because I am not a scientist. For me, the island is more
like the best circus imaginable, one in which nature runs the show.
We in the audience are not all watching the same thing, and since
1969, the first time I visited the island, I have come to love
the place for a variety of reasons. Also, after 37 summers, I
believe the best way to honor the performers, especially the
wolves, is to get along with the other members of the audience.
Maybe We Don't Know Enough Yet
by Rolf Peterson
"Maybe We Don't Know Enough Yet..."
These words, by an Anishinaabe elder, are a fine plainlanguage
statement about the nature of science as a critical human activity
that has no end. Scientific conclusions are temporary, often fleeting
moments on a progressive timeline that lead us closer and closer to the
truth about nature, in our broadest understanding of the word. Science,
then, is a journey with no final destination, no definitive endpoint that
can be anticipated. There are, of course, many dead ends, where course correction is necessary.
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