The National Park Service plans to bring 20 - 30 wolves to Isle Royale in the next three to five years.
The island in Lake Superior has only two wolves left and officials say they hope to bolster wolf populations to keep prey animals - like moose - in check.
Liz Valencia with Isle Royale National Park says they’re working now to trap and relocate half a dozen animals.
“This fall we’re starting the very first phase of that project to bring wolves from Minnesota and Michigan to Isle Royale. We’re hoping to get up to six.”
Valencia said Minnesota and Michigan wolves will be coming from similar ecosystems.
“I think probably the biggest difference for them is there are no deer at Isle Royale so they will have to learn to take down Moose, which are certainly bigger than deer.”
She said the wolves will be brought to the island by aircraft as soon as they are captured.
“So they potentially have some time to form some packs potentially and then possibly have some reproduction in the spring. That would be the goal.”
Captured wolves will undergo a health screening and will be released on the island after being vaccinated and dewormed.
Valencia said the park is hoping to trap an equal number of male and female wolves. She said 22 wolves are the historic average for the island.
The wolves could start arriving as early as this week.