The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation just released a new documentary film, “Return of the Wolves: Lessons from the Wilderness,” and corresponding lesson plans.
In a follow-up to the shorter version, available on Curiosity Stream this 39-minute film goes in-depth with US and Canadian scientists as they relocate wolves to restore ecosystem balance to Isle Royal in Lake Superior. In 2019, our DP Daniel Cojanu contributed amazing footage of moose and wolf captures and releases on both sides of the border. His stories of hitching rides in helicopters, trekking with gear through deep snow drifts, and the rustic cabin sauna-showers are the stuff nature documentaries are made of!
Isle Royale National Park is home to the longest running predator/prey study in the world, with more than 60 years of data collected. At the time of translocation, the wolf population had dwindled down to two inbred animals, and the moose population was expanding rapidly with no significant check from a predator. That’s why the Park decided to restore wolves to an island populated with a large prey base of more than 1,800 moose, while also documenting the four-year effort and its impacts on the ecosystem.
