The number of moose on Lake Superior's Isle Royale dropped to 450 this winter, the lowest level since scientists began tracking the animals nearly a half-century ago.
The moose population is down from 540 last year and is a fraction of the all-time high moose population of 2,442 in 1995. There is a concern that the dwindling numbers also could hurt the island's three wolf packs.
The number of wolves on the island is holding steady at 30, according to the annual survey by Michigan Technological University researchers. But that stability may not last as moose become too scarce to feed the packs.
Posted by Dave at March 10, 2006 08:28 AM