On Lake Superior’s Largest Island, a Timeless Drama of Predator and Prey Unfolds

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 17

Isle Royale is a large and uninhabited island surrounded by the vast waters of Lake Superior. For many years, the island was a hunting ground for Native Americans from Canada and Minnesota. It more recent years, it has become an island of research.

Isle Royale isn’t just filled with remarkable landscapes, it also has unique wildlife habitats and self-sustaining populations of moose and wolves. The moose and the wolves of Isle Royale are isolated here and linked in a historical drama of predator and prey. It’s a drama that scientists have been watching and analyzing for over 60 years.

Today, the island is designated for scientific research. The location has become an important laboratory for the study of wolves and moose. The ongoing predator-prey relationship between the two species provides unique insights for wildlife scientists. Although the island is now known for scientific research, it has also hosted various human activities throughout its history.

Before the island became a national park in 1940, it was used for centuries by native Americas for hunting, fishing, and trapping. Native Americans also exploited the island for its minerals and the mines there produced large quantities of copper. In later years, it was a temporary or seasonal home for Scandinavian fishermen from Minnesota. Many of the fishermen's cabins remain on the island today.

Moose from Minnesota arrived on Isle Royale in the early 20th century. The moose migrated to island during extremely cold weather when lake ice connected the island to the mainland. They have lived on the island ever since. However, severe weather and lack of food can cause their population to fluctuate. Wolves arrived in the late 1940s, again by crossing over the winter ice bridge between Canada, Northern Minnesota, and Isle Royale

Researcher Durward Allen launched the wolf-moose project in 1958 to gain a deeper understanding of how the two species affect each other. Important opportunities to observe the ecology of predation continue to draw scientists to Isle Royale.

The island’s wolves hunt moose to survive. Meanwhile, the moose try to stay alive by using the abundant resources available on the island. Isle Royale is more than just a remote island; it’s a quiet, resilient, and beautiful dance of wolves versus moose.

[Sources: NBC News; Wildlife Magazine; LiveScienece.com]