An Experimental Translocation of the Eastern Timber WolfWeise, Thomas F.
Science
An Experimental Translocation of the Eastern Timber Wolf
Weise, Thomas F.
Gray wolf -- Reintroduction -- Michigan
An interesting social change also occurred during this phase: No. 13
split from the pack sometime after April 26 when the pack had reached
its westernmost location, south of Ontonagon. Whereas No. 11 and 12
returned east-northeastward toward Otter Lake, where they had been in
late March, No. 13 headed west-northwestward to the Porcupine Mountains,
18 miles (30.0 km) west of where the pack had last been located together
(Fig. 18). Thus on May 2, Wolf No. 13 was 51 miles (82.0 km) west of No.
11 and No. 12. Nevertheless, 5 days later all the wolves were found near
Gibbs City, 62 miles (99.8 km) southwest of the Porcupine Mountains, and
45 miles (72.4 km) south of Otter Lake; No. 13 was only 6 miles (9.7 km)
from his packmates. The next time an attempt could be made to locate the
wolves, on May 16, they had reunited.
Settled Phase
This last phase of the wolves' movements includes the period when the
animals had settled into an area similar to the size of home ranges
reported for other wolves in the Great Lakes Region (Mech 1970). From
May 7 to July 6, this pack lived in a 246-square mile (637 km^2) area
with its center north of Gibbs City (Fig. 18). On July 10, wolf No. 12
was found dead. Presumably he had died by July 6, for he had not moved
since then.
Wolf No. 13 had again split from his associates between June 14 and 19
and begun to travel alone. On July 20, his remains were discovered 24
miles (38.6 km) southeast of where the pack had settled. These deaths
will be discussed in detail later.
Movements of the Remaining Pack Member
After the death of her mate (No. 12), Wolf No. 11 left the
246-square-mile area in which the pack had settled (Fig. 19). By July
15, she had traveled 28 miles (45.0 km) northwest of this area and by
the 20th, was back by Otter Lake, 40 miles (64.4 km) north. She returned
south of Gibbs City on July 27, and was found about 3 miles (4.8 km)
north of the Wisconsin border on August 2, near Lac Vieux Desert about a
half mile (0.8 km) north of the Wisconsin border on August 6, and near
Bruce Crossing on August 9.
[Illustration: _Fig. 17.--Movements during the Post-release and
Directional Movement Phases of Wolves No. 11, 12, and 13_]
On August 13, Wolf No. 11 was located 1½ miles (2.4 km) southeast of
Ewen on the western edge of her previous locations. She was not located
again until August 28. By then she had moved a straight-line distance of
almost 60 miles (96.5 km) to an area in Marquette County just south of
Squaw Lake, in the Witch Lake area. In doing so, she probably had passed
through the area previously explored just north of the Iron County
region where the pack had spent so much of its time. These widespread
movements are characteristic of lone wolves even in their native range
(Mech and Frenzel 1971).
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