Six wolf core areas were created across Zone 1 areas of Northern Wisconsin to provide additional protection for wolves. (Figure J1). The intent of these areas would be that wolves be completely protected except under extremely unusual circumstances such as a wolf with a highly contagious disease such as rabies, a captive raised wolf that has escaped into the wild, or a wolf that poses a threat to human health of safety.
The first draft of the wolf management plan listed all public lands in northern and central Wisconsin as wolf sanctuaries (7,600 mi2) . The need for such an area was questioned repeatedly at public forums and in individual public comments. The Wolf Advisory Committee believes that the creation of the Core Areas will provide specific protected areas (3,227 mi2) and concentrate protection on the most appropriate locations, reducing the overall acreage earlier proposed as highly protected. It also will help to reduce the impacts of wolf depredation on agricultural pursuits and provide more flexibility in dealing with wolves.
Protected wolf core areas or sanctuary areas have been recommended for small populations of wolves or wolves near agricultural and developed landscapes (Haight et al. 1998, Mech, 1995). Such protective cores help assure the long term viability of a small population. (Haight et al. 1998). It is not necessary to reduce access from current levels within the Core Areas.
We designated Wolf Core Areas in Wisconsin across northern Wisconsin in areas of favorable wolf habitat (Mladenoff et al. 1995). and large blocks of public land. Areas were selected based on suitability of wolf habitat and the lack of most livestock activity or concentrated human developments. Local wildlife managers were consulted as to reasonable areas and boundaries for Wolf Core Areas.
The intent of the Core Area would be that no lethal control would normally be done in these areas. If a depredation problem would occur in a Core Area, only nonlethal control would be used. Additional abatement monies would be made available for Core Areas to offset lack of lethal control. In general, depredation problems are likely to be rare because of the lack of agricultural land. If proactive control is considered necessary when the wolf population goal is achieved (350), proactive lethal control would only be possible outside Wolf Core Areas.
If a public harvest is considered in the future, the core areas may serve as refuges, or a new system of refuges may be developed.
Maps of the six Wolf Core Areas are illustrated at the end of this report (Tables J2, J3, J4, J5, J6, J7). Detailed county maps of Wolf Core Areas are available by writing to: Mammalian Ecologist, DNR Box 220, Park Falls., WI., 54552
Literature Cited:
Haight, R.G., D. J. Mladenoff, and A.P. Wydeven. 1998 Modelling disjunct gray wolf populations in semi-wild landscapes. Conserv. Biology 12:879-888.
Mech, L. D., 1995. The challenge and opportunity of recovering wolf populations. Conserv. Biology 9:270-278.
Mladenoff, D.J., T.A. Sickley, R.G. Haight, and A.P. Wydeven. 1995. A regional landscape analysis and prediction of favorable gray wolf habitat in the Northern Great Lakes Region. Conserv. Biology 9: 279-294.