Rare Gray Wolf Shot, Killed By Coyote Hunter In Southwest MI: DNR
Wolves were once present throughout Michigan, but now they are almost entirely found in the Upper Peninsula, according to officials. A rare Michigan sighting of a gray wolf was reported in January, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The hunter initially thought he shot and killed a large coyote during a legal hunting season in Calhoun County, but tests revealed the animal was a Gray wolf. Gray wolves have not been seen in that part of Michigan since the likely extirpation of wolves in the early 20th century. Officials do not believe the gray wolf, which was part of an established population in Michigan's southern Lower Peninsula, was particularly rare. Wolves in Michigan are a federally endangered species and can only be killed if they pose a direct threat to human life.
Published : 4 weeks ago by Dylan Siwicki in Science General
CALHOUN COUNTY, MI — Officials are looking into a rare Michigan sighting of a gray wolf that was shot and killed by a hunter in January, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The hunter initially thought he shot and killed a large coyote during a legal hunting season in Calhoun County, but subsequent genetic tests revealed the 84 pound animal was a gray wolf, according to officials. Gray wolves have not been seen in that part of Michigan since the likely extirpation of wolves from the state in the early part of the 20th century, according to officials.
Officials do not believe the gray wolf was part of an established population in Michigan's southern Lower Peninsula. Officials also said the public does not need to be concerned about a broader wolf presence in the county or the Lower Peninsula, as data shows wolves in Michigan can travel thousands of miles, in some cases far beyond their known range, according to officials.
"This is an unusual case, and the DNR is actively delving into the matter to learn more about this particular animal's origin," Large Carnivore Specialist for the DNR Brian Roell said. "While rare, instances of wolves traversing vast distances have been documented, including signs of wolves in recent decades in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula." Wolves in Michigan are a federally endangered species, meaning they can be killed only if they present a direct and immediate threat to human life, according to officials.
Wolves were once present throughout Michigan, but now they are almost entirely found in the Upper Peninsula, according to officials. The department continues to search for wolves in the Lower Peninsula but has found only a few signs of wolf presence in that part of Michigan since the state’s wolf population became reestablished in the 1980s.
Topics: Crime, Wildlife, Wolves