These twin stories about wolves in northern Minnesota and Michigan would have been unthinkable 20 years ago. One of the reasons that wolves are recovering is a massive public education effort by natural resource agencies and allies, trying to debunk old myths about voracious human-eating wolves. (Although the recent Bush TV commercial may have revived a little of this.) Sometimes opening people's minds and hearts is more effective than a statute.
Minnesota:
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/10220409.htm
The state has about 3,020 wolves, a 23 percent increase from a 1998 survey that showed an estimated 2,450 wolves roaming the state's woodlands. But because of a large variability in the survey's margin of error, wildlife managers don't believe the increase is as great as the survey shows.
Michigan:
GAYLORD - Deep, dense and off the beaten track, northern Lower Michigan's forests provide shelter and sustenance for deer, elk, beaver and birds.
And, it appears, the woods provide equally fine habitat for the gray wolf.
http://www.record-eagle.com/2004/nov/14wolf.htm
Posted by Dave at November 20, 2004 11:45 AM