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Federal shutdown delays winter study, could stall efforts to bring new wolves to Isle Royale    

January 7, 2019 - After sixty years, the winter study on Isle Royale has been put on hold because of the federal government shutdown. 

For the last sixty years, researchers at Michigan Tech have conducted a wolf and moose study on Isle Royale, monitoring the health of the ecosystem. Rolf Peterson is one of the study’s authors. He said this year the study has been put on hold. “Taken in concert with everything else going on it’s just one little piece of science. But it represents a tremendous loss of public and private resources. Just a total waste.”

Peterson says the winter study was especially important this year given the introduction of new wolves to the island. Park officials have brought four wolves to the island so far - the only male in that group died in November. 

Peterson said the park had hoped to bring more wolves to the island this winter.  “Wolves only mate once a year and that’s only in February so an entire year of potential reproduction could be lost if that effort doesn’t go ahead.”

Peterson said the Winter Study was supposed to be the first chance researchers would have to check on the wolves. He said if the shutdown lasts longer than 7 weeks, the study might not happen.

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