Do Minnesotans want wolves? Survey says: mostly.
DNR shares results of public opinion survey as it works to revise the state’s wolf management plan.
Endanged Species
Orchids of the Northwoods – Lady’s Slippers and beyond
“It all began by happenstance…The trail was overgrown, littered with fallen boles, when I noticed a glimmering iridescence unlike anything I had seen before. I had stumbled upon on one of Minnesota’s most common orchid species, the stemless (pink) lady’s slipper, glimmering with rain drops…”
‘No better, no worse’ – moose population in northeast Minnesota remains reduced, but steady
Annual DNR survey finds similar moose numbers to recent years, but still precariously low compared to 15 years ago.
Ghosts of the Northwoods
Photojournalist Ben Olson shares his trek to find Minnesota’s elusive lynx. “My obsession with Canada lynx stems from a series of unexpected events and chance encounters…”
Rainy River sturgeon spawning protected by dam operation agreement
Threat to endangered fish species spurs international action to monitor activity and modify dam operations.
Isle Royale wolf reintroduction moves forward despite doubts and difficulties
The program to capture, transport, and release wolves on the Lake Superior island — providing fresh DNA and predators for moose — has so far succeeded.
Species Watch: Threatened Wood Turtles
Researchers scramble up river banks, edge along muddy shores, and step carefully through woods with eyes on the forest floor in Northeastern Minnesota tracking terrestrial Wood Turtles.
Endangered Species protection for wolves debated at Hibbing hearing
Advocates fill auditorium for government’s only hearing on proposal to remove gray wolves from federal protection.
Bat surveys help Quetico assess population of insect-eaters and prepare for disease
Research in Canadian canoe country wilderness seeks to understand species that call it home and may be threatened by deadly fungus.
Wolves in Voyageurs National Park to be featured in PBS program
Footage of a wolf den recorded by scientists studying the animals in northern Minnesota’s National Park is included in a special episode of PBS Nature.
Hawk Ridge offers opportunity to witness spring’s northbound bird migration
Bird counters at the Duluth site report record-breaking numbers of migrators passing through as they race north to their nesting grounds.
Interior Department plans to remove wolves from federal protection
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced plans yesterday to remove gray wolves from Endangered Species Act protections and move management responsibility to states
How do wolves hunt beavers?
How do you catch a semi-aquatic rodent that spends very little time on land? Turns out, with patience and a lot of waiting. Researchers use GPS-collars to reveal a predator-prey relationship…
Journalism professors call for clearer communication about Isle Royale wolf reintroduction
Minnesota and Michigan-based academics say the decision to transport new wolves to the Lake Superior site was based on incomplete information.
First wolves in reintroduction effort could be brought to Isle Royale National Park this week
Project begins to restore predator population on popular island in Lake Superior, as managers seek to balance natural forces.
Protecting bald eagle nests in Voyageurs National Park has big payoffs for population recovery
Study says buffer zones around nests improve breeding success and overall numbers, contributing to recovery of the iconic species.
Scientists say bird species in northern National Parks could be much different in 30 years
New study predicts that an average of 25 percent of bird species in America’s National Parks will change due to global warming.
National Park Service proposes reintroducing wolves on Isle Royale
Managers respond to disappearance of wolves from the wild island in Lake Superior, letting moose population explode with
Uncovering the secret lives of wolves
Imagine a wolf kill, and the remains of an ungulate—a hoofed animal like a moose—probably come to mind. Yet scientists have known for some time that wolves also eat smaller prey, like deer fawns and beavers. This is particularly true during summer, when wolf packs primarily hunt and travel as individuals or pairs.
Annual Minnesota moose census finds numbers low but stable
The latest estimate is about one-third of their peak population, but has quit shrinking over the past several years.