Aerial View of Wolf in Snow

Photo Credit: Wolf-Moose Project

In this Issue

Moose and Tracks on Ice

Photo Credit: Wolf-Moose Project

It is the start of 2026 - The end of one year and beginning of the next is often a time of reflection, and the Wolf-Moose Foundation is no different. We’ve been around for two years now and have been fundraising for about 20 months. We’re still figuring things out, but we think we’re making progress, building an endowment, and the results of our work are encouraging.

In 2025, we learned that our photo contest was a big success. We had hundreds of great submissions, and many of you got involved. In the fall, we developed and launched our online store, and since then we’ve sold hundreds of items that all support the Wolf-Moose Foundation and the mission of the Wolf-Moose Project.

Another thing we learned in early 2025 was that our Winter Seminar Series was a success. It was a great way to attract new supporters, raise a little money, and reward long-time friends of the Wolf-Moose Project. Hundreds of you attended the three virtual seminars to learn from and be entertained by some of the world’s foremost experts on wolves. Topics included wolves in Yellowstone, red wolves in Texas and Louisiana, and wolves in Isle Royale National Park.

Because it was such a success, we’re doing it again in 2026. We have another series of three virtual presentations from world-renowned experts on mountain lions, hyenas, and wolves. If you’ve contributed to the Foundation or Project in the past, we hope you’ll join us as our way of saying thank you for your support. If you’re new to the Foundation, please consider making a small contribution (we suggest $35… or more) and attending one or all of the seminars.

Click here to learn more about the seminars, sign up, and donate. Each seminar must be signed up for individually. We look forward to seeing you at the seminars, and we wish you a wonderful holiday season.

By Jeffrey Holden

Part One: A Struggling Wolf Population

This is the first article in a three-part series explaining the wolf situation on Isle Royale. 

In the 1990s, the wolf population was struggling. The reason for this was unknown at the time. Later research showed that inbreeding depression — a phenomenon where the offspring of two closely related individuals are less likely to survive or to reproduce successfully — was the cause. High levels of inbreeding occurred on Isle Royale because the wolf population was largely isolated from the mainland population. Ice bridges are the only way for wolves to reach the archipelago; they do not form every year and may only last a few days.

Ice Bridge Between Canada and The United States, 2022

Photo Credit: Wolf-Moose Project

Balsam Browse by Moose

Photo Credit: Wolf-Moose Project

An example of what can happen when wolf abundance on Isle Royale is very low and moose numbers skyrocket occurred in 1996. The changes in moose abundance led to changes in the rate at which moose browse on forest vegetation, most notably on balsam fir. It’s a common and essential species in Isle Royale’s forests. Big changes in the number of moose can quickly cascade to impact forests because moose are large animals, with an average weight of 800 pounds, and consume massive amounts of vegetation — up to 30 pounds a day. The winter of 1995–96 was colder and longer than usual. The result was a massive moose die-off as the population dropped from 2,500 to 500.

In 1997, a wolf later known to scientists as “M93” crossed the 15-mile ice bridge from the mainland to Isle Royale. Outside of scientific journals, he is affectionately nicknamed “The Old Gray Guy.” This wolf boosted the gene pool, and for about a decade, the wolf population did well. M93 produced 34 pups during the eight years he was an alpha male.

Unfortunately, the benefits that accompanied M93’s arrival were short-lived and started to fade by 2008. His great success as a breeder meant he quickly became related to the majority of wolves on the island — and after the death of his original mate, he began mating with his daughter. Concurrently, M93’s other offspring started breeding with each other.

The strong genes M93 contributed to the wolf population's eventual downfall. For example, in 2008, it was estimated that 60% of the wolves’ gene pool was inherited from M93. As inbreeding became commonplace again, the population began to decline rapidly.

M93 (right), 2006

Photo Credit: Wolf-Moose Project

Moosewatch Team 1 Arrives at Windigo, 2025

Photo Credit: Amanda Griggs

My own first encounter came several years ago, when I rounded a bend and found myself face-to-face with a moose. The moment was awe-inspiring, but it raised a question that stuck with me: how could such a large animal live among us and remain mostly hidden? That curiosity turned to surprise when I learned that, officially, moose are not considered a resident species in Wisconsin—and without that recognition, they receive no dedicated conservation attention.

That realization sparked what has since become my project, Hidden Moose of Wisconsin. For nearly ten years, I’ve worked to gather evidence that moose are more than occasional wanderers—that they represent a resident population worthy of conservation attention. What began as a personal passion has grown into a long-term research effort.

Wisconsin Moose Encounter

Photo Credit: Amanda Griggs

Pitcher Plant

Photo Credits: Amanda Griggs

Wisconsin Bull Moose in Velvet

Photo Credits: Amanda Griggs

Moose Tracks

Photo Credits: Amanda Griggs

Wisconsin Moose, Across the Years

Photo Credits: Amanda Griggs

East Pack with Six Pups, 1972

Photo Credits: Rolf Peterson

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The Wolf-Moose Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable nonprofit organization.

Our Federal Tax Identification Number is

93-4654981.