CALHOUN COUNTY, Mich. — For the first time in more than 100 years, a gray wolf has been spotted in the wild in West Michigan. However the discovery only came after the animal had been killed.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is investigating after a hunter taking part in a coyote hunt reported shooting and killing the wolf in January. The hunt, which the DNR says was legal, happened in Calhoun County.
The hunter and a guide reported they located what they thought was a large coyote. When harvesting the animal, they noted it weighed 84 pounds. Eastern coyotes typically weigh between 25 pounds and 40 pounds.
Genetic tests on the animal confirmed it was a gray wolf.
The DNR says gray wolves haven't been seen in the southern Lower Peninsula since they were killed and driven out of the state in the early 20th century. Current wolf packs are generally confined to the Upper Peninsula, though some limited sightings have been made in the past two decades in the northern Lower Peninsula.
In October 2004, a wolf originally collared in the eastern Upper Peninsula was captured and killed by a coyote trapper in Presque Isle County. In 2011 and 2015, track evidence consistent with wolf-like animals was observed in Cheboygan and Emmet counties. In 2014, biologists from the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians captured a wolf on a trail camera during an eagle survey. DNA analysis of scat collected at the site confirmed the animal as a wolf.
The DNR says this wolf's appearance in Calhoun County remains a mystery. Wolves are known to travel thousands of miles, even outside their established range. The DNR says the wolf likely was not part of an established pack in West Michigan.
"This is an unusual case, and the DNR is actively delving into the matter to learn more about this particular animal's origin," said Brian Roell, large carnivore specialist for the DNR. "While rare, instances of wolves traversing vast distances have been documented, including signs of wolves in recent decades in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.”
Wolves are currently an endangered species in Michigan by federal court order. Wolves can be killed only if they are a direct and immediate threat to human life. Livestock owners affected by wolf depredation can receive compensation for their losses. Hunting wolves while they are on the endangered species list is prohibited.
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