Like all the new wolves, they were fitted with GPS tracking collars before they were released on Isle Royale.

A preliminary look at that tracking data showed they were finding food and starting to explore. It also showed the black mainland wolf caught last weekend wanted to be far away from the other new arrivals.

“All the GPS collars have sent location data from this past weekend. The wolves are adjusting to their new environment and finding food on the island, visiting carcass provisioning and old predation sites,” said Mark Romanski, chief of natural resources for Isle Royale National Park 

“The farthest movement so far was about 4 miles, by the black wolf who traveled southeast from the release site. The scent of the Michipicoten Island wolves may have motivated him to make this journey to avoid conflict.”

The six wolves caught last weekend on Michipicoten Island included that small pack’s alpha female. Two other wolves - including that pack’s alpha male - were caught on Michipicoten a few weeks earlier and released on Isle Royale.

With the alphas together again, Isle Royale researchers are likely watching how much of that Michipicoten pack stays together - and if other new wolves brought in from Minnesota and mainland Canada since last fall eventually form new packs. They also likely will be watching to see what this all means for the island-born pair, and if they interact with the new wolves.

But the early GPS showed the black wolf in the latest batch preferred to put some distance between himself and the Michipicoten wolves. Park staff said that mainland wolf was in the best physical condition of all the predators caught last weekend. All new wolves destined for Isle Royale are vet-checked, weighed and tagged before being released.

One of the Michipicoten Island wolves, caught for relocation to Isle Royale.

The six wolves taken off Michipicoten were believed to be the last of their kind on that island. Caribou, once their main prey, had disappeared from the island in northeastern Lake Superior, leaving only hares and beavers as their food options. This left some of them in poor physical shape. But Isle Royale park staff hope the new arrivals will take to moose-hunting.

As Isle Royale’s once-strong wolf population dwindled, its moose population expanded swiftly. About 1,600 moose now roam the 206-square-mile island archipelago, which has led to concerns about their leaf-munching deforesting the wilderness that lures hikers and outdoor enthusiasts in the warmer months.

Last fall, the National Park Service launched a plan to bring in 30 new wolves over the next few years to help balance the predator-prey relationship. They hoped to bring in 8-10 over this winter, and surpassed that mark. 

“This successful effort resulted in exceeding our first year population goal while providing a buffer for potential losses," Isle Royale Park Superintendent Phyllis Green said. “Importantly, we were able to maintain a balance of males and females.” 

Last weekend’s capture-and-release of wolves was funded by the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation (NPLSF) and International Wolf Center (IWC ). They launched a GoFundMe to cover the costs.