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Iconic Predator-Prey Study In Peril
An anonymous reader writes "Scientists have charted the ebb and flow of moose and wolf populations on Isle Royale in Lake Superior for nearly 50 years. Ice bridges to Canada regularly supplied the genetic stocks for much of that time, but have been rare in recent years leading to inbreeding, dwindling populations and developmental deformity for the wolves that inhabit the island. Now, with the first solid freeze in six years, new wolves could join the mix ... or the remaining island dwellers could leave."
If new wolves do not appear, or all of the current wolves leave, the moose would end up destroying the native Fir population. The wildlife service is considering introducing new wolves as part of a genetic rescue, or reintroducing wolves should the population reach zero on its own.
So....natural processes occurring pretty much exactly as they have for thousands, if not millions of years. And humans, feeling they know how things "should" be, are going to interfere. Brilliant!
It's worse than you think. I live in Michigan. We're worried about the Isle Royal wolves but the legislature authorized a wolf hunt this year to combat the nearly non-existent depredation "problems" from wolves. (181 total incidents over 15 years, most related to cattle and about a third of those are suspect claims from a single farm) Total economic impact most years is around $5000 for the entire state. This despite the fact that wolves account for a minuscule fraction livestock deaths. You also hear a bunch of idiots thinking that wolves are going to go after their children. There was even a made up story about wolves lurking around a school yard that was floated around for quite a while before being debunked.
Basically a bunch of hunters and farmers wanted to kill a bunch of wolves for no demonstrable reason aside from fear and blood lust.
Prediction: we'll cock it up.
More than likely...