By John Barnes
Attacks by wolves on livestock and dogs saw a significant spike in 2014 compared to the previous year, records show.
The 35 attacks are the fourth-highest number in the past 13 years. The 2014 tallies are through Dec. 22, the latest figures available. Some attacks involved multiple casualties.
That’s 10 more livestock attacks and five more dog attacks than the year before. In all, 26 cattle and 17 hunting dogs were confirmed killed in 2014.
The increase was part of a post-summer “pulse” Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Brian Roell says often occurs after the primary calving season and coincides with hunting and dog-training seasons.
All of the dogs killed were in the act of hunting or training at the time; no yard dogs were involved, said Debbie Munson Badini, DNR spokeswoman in Marquette.
Munson Badini said it is hard to draw too many conclusions from what can be a cyclical predator-prey relationship that fluctuates due to many factors, including weather.
Back-to-back harsh winters reduced deer numbers, which may have motivated wolves to turn to other prey, such as calves.
As wolf packs adjust to lesser prey, they also may reproduce less or suffer diseases.
“With a reduced deer population, we wouldn’t be surprised to see wolves in some areas be more inclined toward livestock and dogs,” she said.
There were an estimated 638 wolves in Michigan in 2014, the year after its first managed hunt. The hunt took just 22 of 46 targeted animals. Eleven were males, 11 females. The median age was 2.6 years; two were more than seven years old.
Future hunts are on hold. A federal judge has ordered the top-of-the-chain predator relisted as an endangered species after it was removed in 2012. Some Midwest congressmen are making a push to have Congress overrule the endangered species status.
There will be no formal survey of wolves this year in the Upper Peninsula. Munson Badini said a recent decision reallocated the resources to other areas, since no hunt is in sight.