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Hunter Mistakenly Kills Gray Wolf in Calhoun County, Says DNR

Apr 3, 2024 1 min read

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In an unexpected turn of events, a hunter in Calhoun County, Michigan, discovered that the large animal he had taken for a coyote during a January hunt was actually a gray wolf. This revelation came after genetic testing by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The incident marks the first confirmed presence of a gray wolf in the southern Lower Peninsula of Michigan since the species was effectively eliminated from the state in the early 20th century. Wolves are primarily found in the Upper Peninsula, and sightings in the Lower Peninsula have been exceedingly rare, with the DNR noting only a handful of signs since wolves were reestablished in the state in the 1980s.

The DNR does not believe that this gray wolf was part of an established population in the southern Lower Peninsula, indicating the animal may have traveled a significant distance. Investigations are ongoing to determine the wolf's origins and how it made its way to Calhoun County. The DNR has scheduled a targeted track survey for 2025 to assess the presence of wolves in Michigan. Currently, wolves are listed as an endangered species in the state, and it is illegal to kill them unless they pose an immediate threat to human life. The public is not being advised to anticipate a larger wolf population in the area.

#wildlife #wolves #general #crime

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