Graduate Students: Lucas Price
Gray wolves (Canis lupus) were exploited after European settlement, eliminating the Wisconsin gray wolf population by 1960, and reducing
the Michigan wolf population to 6 wolves in the Upper Peninsula and 23 wolves on Isle Royal in 1973. Gray wolves were listed as an
Endangered Species in 1974, and in 2006 the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment was formed. Michigan and Wisconsin populations
have been estimated at over 500 wolves for the past 10 years, and the Wisconsin minimum wolf count based on winter track surveys for winter
2016-2017 is 925 wolves according to the minimum overwinter count. Gray wolves are an additional high level predator on the landscape capable
of traveling vast distances and having large home ranges (minimum of 75km2 under ideal conditions). Wolves travel in family unit packs, that
contain 3.9-4.0 wolves per pack in Wisconsin. While wolves are known to avoid habitat impacted by humans, which is usually represented by
higher road densities and major roads, minor roads are used as travel corridors. As wolves are a charismatic megafauna, under public scrutiny
and admiration, and listed as an Endangered Species, further understanding their behavior, dispersal, and status on the landscape is a high
research priority. In chapter one, I use two diverse datasets and logistic regression to study attributes related to road and trail use selection
of gray wolves in our study area. In chapter two, I used fecal DNA to study wolf population structure, and compare genetic diversity to the
founding population (Minnesota) and a reintroduced population (Yellowstone National Park). In chapter one, we identified greater forest cover,
higher visibility, and shallower snow depths as preferred for travel corridors. In chapter two, we found little genetic differentiation between
the Northern Forest region and Central Forest region and two unique genetic clusters. We additionally found lower genetic diversity in Wisconsin
and Michigan than in Minnesota or Yellowstone National Park. This research could be used to manage travel corridors, form smaller management units,
and inform future reintroduction and recolonization management.
Funding provided by:
Wisconsin DNR and Safari Club International Michigan Involvement Committee
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