Science News: As Wolves Diminish, Moose Flourish

Science News: As Wolves Diminish, Moose Flourish

Three hungry wolves from Chippewa Harbor Pack.

Chippewa Harbor Pack hunts throughout the night. It’s been 10 days since they last killed a moose. In the past 30 days, they’ve caught only one adult cow moose, one yearling cow and one calf. One of the pack will likely starve to death. Chippewa Harbor Pack entered this winter with six wolves, and it has been three weeks since we’ve seen that sixth wolf. He may have left to look for a mate. Or he may have starved. We do not know. If he starved, he may not be the last.
As morning comes, the wolves walk out of the forest and onto the frozen ice of Moskey Basin. They rest some, then return to the forest to hunt. Within an hour, they find and chase a cow and her calf. Exhaustion is the only result. They come up out of the forest again, to rest on a south-facing ridge. A few hours later, they re-enter the thick stand of fir trees north of Moskey Basin. They find and chase another cow and calf, this time injuring both. But, as night falls, none have eaten, and none have died.

John VucetichThis chase once again resulted only in exhaustion.