Wolf & Moose Populations 1980 to Today
The populations of wolves and moose on Isle Royale constantly adjust as food availability, weather, and seasons affect the health and reproduction of the animals. Over time, notice as the wolf population declines, the moose population increases and vice versa. In the past forty years, Isle Royale has experienced several of these cyclical population relationships.
With the wolf population declines in 2011 and 2014, the wolf population reached unsustainable levels, and the National Park Service is now in the process of reintroducing 20 to 30 wolves.
Year
|
Number of Wolves
|
Number of Moose
|
| 1980 |
50 |
664 |
| 1981 |
30 |
650 |
| 1982 |
14 |
700 |
| 1983 |
23 |
900 |
| 1984 |
24 |
811 |
| 1985 |
22 |
1062 |
| 1986 |
20 |
1025 |
| 1987 |
16 |
1380 |
| 1988 |
12 |
1653 |
| 1989 |
11 |
1397 |
| 1990 |
15 |
1216 |
| 1991 |
12 |
1313 |
| 1992 |
12 |
1600 |
| 1993 |
13 |
1880 |
| 1994 |
15 |
1800 |
| 1995 |
16 |
2400 |
| 1996 |
22 |
1200 |
| 1997 |
24 |
500 |
| 1998 |
14 |
700 |
| 1999 |
25 |
750 |
| 2000 |
29 |
850 |
| 2001 |
19 |
900 |
| 2002 |
17 |
1000 |
| 2003 |
19 |
900 |
| 2004 |
29 |
750 |
| 2005 |
30 |
540 |
| 2006 |
30 |
385 |
| 2007 |
21 |
450 |
| 2008 |
23 |
650 |
| 2009 |
24 |
530 |
| 2010 |
19 |
510 |
| 2011 |
16 |
515 |
| 2012 |
9 |
750 |
| 2013 |
8 |
975 |
| 2014 |
9 |
1050 |
| 2015 |
3 |
1250 |
| 2016 |
2 |
1300 |
| 2017 |
2 |
1600 |
| 2018 |
2 |
1500 |
| 2019 |
14 |
2060 |
