Reduction in Wisconsin's wolf population by 30% due to hunting and undisclosed fatalities
Wisconsin's wolf population has experienced a substantial decline, according to a new study conducted by environmental studies scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Led by Adrian Treves, Francisco Santiago-Ávila, and Karann Putrevu, the research team has modelled uncounted wolf deaths in Wisconsin since November 2020.
The study, published in the journal PeerJ, suggests that about one-third of the population decline is due to hidden deaths in the wolf population, resulting from relaxed legal protections. The additional wolf deaths are attributed to policy signals and the wolf hunt.
Under a variety of population growth scenarios, Wisconsin now hosts between 695 and 751 wolves, compared with at least 1,034 wolves last year. This represents a decline in the wolf population of between 27% and 33% between April 2020 and April 2021.
The decline is despite the hunting quota of 119 wolves for non-native hunters, set with the goal of helping maintain but not reduce the state's wolf population. In the first public wolf hunt, 218 wolves were killed by licensed hunters. The delisting of grey wolves under the Endangered Species Act resulted in an additional 100 wolves dying in Wisconsin.
Researchers estimate that a majority of these additional, uncounted deaths are due to cryptic poaching. The model shows an increase in both reported and cryptic poaching of wolves during the periods of relaxation in legal protections.
The findings of the study can help the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources prepare for the next legally mandated wolf hunt this fall. The research also provides guidance to other states planning wolf hunts following the removal of federal protections.
The research team suggests that Wisconsin DNR and other states' natural resource agencies should use their methods to develop a more complete assessment of the impact of new policies on predator populations. The methods and models developed by the research team are freely available to these agencies for their use.
Eric Hamilton, a contact for the study, can be reached at (608) 263-1986 or [email protected]. It is worth noting that Putrevu, a doctoral student, also researches tiger populations in the Russian Far East.
Despite the concerning decline in the wolf population, the study indicates that Wisconsin's wolf population could recover in one to two years without hunting. The research team remains optimistic about the potential for recovery, highlighting the importance of continued monitoring and effective management strategies.
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