2023-2024 Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem Wolf Population Report

Gable, Thomas D.
Homkes, Austin T.
Bump, Joseph K.
2024-10-11
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2023-2024 Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem Wolf Population Report

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2024-10-11

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During April 2023-April 2024, we studied the wolf population in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem (GVE), Minnesota to understand wolf population dynamics and how changes in population dynamics are connected to or influence predation behavior, wolf pup survival, and changes in prey density. We estimate that wolf population density in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem in 2023-2024 was 55.4 wolves/1000 km^2, a 15% decrease in wolf population density from 2022-2023 (65.1 wolves/1000 km^2). Because average pack size remained virtually the same between 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 (4.2 wolves vs 4.3 wolves), the decrease in population density can be attributed entirely to a substantial increase in territory size. Indeed, average territory size increased by 21% from 95.5 km^2 in 2022-2023 to 115.6 km^2 in 2023-2024. With the increase in territory size came a marginal increase (3.6 km^2) in territory overlap between neighboring packs that reduced, to a small degree, the effects of increased territory size on overall population density; i.e., territory size increased by 21% but population density only decreased by 15%.

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We are especially thankful for the substantial funding and support provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). We are also incredibly grateful for the 8,708 donors who have generously supported the project thus far. We thank the many organizations and institutions that have supported our project over the past year including the University of Minnesota, International Wolf Center, Northern Michigan University, Van Sloun Foundation, Manitou Foundation, Voyageurs Conservancy, Voyageurs National Park, National Wolfwatcher Coalition, Rainy Lake Conservancy, Vectronic-Aerospace, NatureSpy, and Arc’teryx.

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Gable, Thomas D.; Homkes, Austin T.; Bump, Joseph K.. (2024). 2023-2024 Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem Wolf Population Report. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/266457.

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