THUNDER BAY — The disappearance of wolves from a large island on Lake Superior means the timing is good for restoring its caribou herd.
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks says plans are underway to transport a dozen boreal caribou to Michipicoten Island.
The population there was decimated by wolves that crossed from the mainland about 10 years ago, causing the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to move the 15 surviving caribou to the Slate Islands near Terrace Bay, and to Caribou Island, south of Michipicoten Island, in 2018.
Using trail cameras and aerial surveys, provincial officials estimated in 2021 that there were 45 caribou on the Slate Islands, but efforts are underway to update this estimate.
A more recent survey by an independent party estimated 23 to 26 on Caribou Island, from which animals will be selected for transfer to Michipicoten Island.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks told Dougall Media a 2022 survey of Michipicoten Island found no remaining evidence of wolves.
He said a strategy for transferring caribou back to the island has been developed in consultation with Michipicoten First Nation and Biigtigong Nishnaabeg First Nation.
Eight adult females and four adult males are expected to be taken by helicopter, but the timing of the project has not been confirmed.
The animals will not be carried beneath the helicopter in a sling, but rather will be carried inside the aircraft.
Although Ontario will not be a participant in the transfer, it has authorized the project under the Endangered Species Act.
The spokesperson said the transfer will be performed by experienced contractors under the supervision of a veterinarian to meet Ontario's standards of wildlife animal care.