The Wolves of Minnesota

by Mech, L. David; Mech, David L.

• ISBN13: 9780896584648
• ISBN10: 089658464X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-11-01
• Publisher: Voyageur Pr

Summary

The wolves of Minnesota are one of conservation's greatest success stories. Of the 48 contiguous United States, only Minnesota-with a wolf population at an estimated 2,600-has managed to protect and sustain a viable wolf population over the past two decades. Today, the wolf is close to being removed from the federal government's endangered species list. But while some applaud the wolf's return, others worry about the human cultural costs of maintaining such a large population, and others wonder if that population is too high for the wolf's own good. Edited by renowned expert "wolfman" Dr. L. David Mech and comprising the work of several researchers who have studied Minnesota wolves, "The Wolves of Minnesota" is an authoritative account of the background of the wolf in Minnesota. It features the fascinating story of the comeback of the wolf in Minnesota and examines the cultural costs of the comeback of the animal, to the point where the question is not "Will we ever hear the howl of the wolf again?" but "How many howls are enough?" "The Wolves of Minnesota" examines the animal and its packs and populations, the past and present ranges of the species in Minnesota, the rich history of the scientific research about it, the biology of the wolf, the wolf's prey, wolf-human interactions, and the future of the wolf in Minnesota.

Table of Contents

Introduction	9	(15)
Historical Overview of Minnesota Wolf Recovery	15	(14)
L. David Mech
Minnesota Wolf Range: Past, Present, and Future	29	(8)
Robert R. Ream
Wolf Research in Minnesota	37	(14)
L. David Mech
The Minnesota Wolf	51	(10)
L. David Mech
Wolf Movements and Spacing in Minnesota	61	(12)
Fred H. Harrington
Roger P. Peters
Russell J. Rothman
Wolf Numbers and Reproduction	73	(10)
L. David Mech
Minnesota Wolf Predation	83	(8)
L. David Mech
Wolf Management in Minnesota	91	(14)
Steven H. Fritts
The International Wolf Center	105	(11)
L. David Mech
Appendix Minnesota's Deer and Moose	116	(7)
Glenn D. DelGiudice
Michael E. Nelson
Patrick D. Karns
Suggested Reading	123	(1)
About the Contributors	124	(2)
Editor's Note	126	(1)
Index	127