Wolf activity prompts tent camping ban at Isle Royale National Park
Tents and hammocks are prohibited at four campgrounds through the end of the season.
Northern California is believed to have become a wolf-free zone about 80 years ago, but in recent times that has been changing.
Wolf activity has prompted officials to ban people from staying in tents in campgrounds within a popular national park.
Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park has closed some campsites and prohibited hammock use at four campgrounds: Daisy Farm, Moskey Basin, Three Mile and Caribou Island. The ban started Friday, Aug. 28, and continues until the park closes on Oct. 31, according to the National Park Service (NPS).
“The park continues to receive reports of wolves being interested in tents at these campgrounds, pawing and digging at tents and entering tents to drag packs and sleeping pads away,” Isle Royale National Park said in a statement.
Off-trail camping zones surrounding the campgrounds will also remain closed until the end of the season.
Image of a food storage locker at West Chickenbone campground. (Credit: National Park Service)
Last month, Isle Royale installed a backpack storage cage at Three Mile campground and required visitors to use the cages there and at Rock Harbor. Park officials order all trash, food and other scented items to be stored in animal-resistant containers or food storage lockers.
While eight group campsites and 13 tent sites are closed, 32 shelters remain open for camping at the four campgrounds.
“Fall is a lovely time to visit the park, and all Isle Royale campgrounds remain open,” Park Superintendent Denice Swanke said in the release.
File photo: Large male gray wolf walking on a hill in the forest. (Photo credit: Getty Images)
This is not the first time wolf activity has been a concern for the park. Isle Royale closed tent and group campsites at Three Mile Campground from July 9 through July 31 this year, following a wolf sighting. The animal was seen pawing and sniffing at tents, dragging away backpacks and even entering a tent, according to the NPS.
“This recent focus on tents and backpacks at Three Mile Campground is a serious concern,” the park said in a statement following the closure.
Isle Royale also closed Duncan Narrows Campground from July 13 to Aug. 4 following wolf activity due to improperly stored food. One or more wolves accessed a shelter, pulled items out and chewed at a poorly stored cooler, according to the park.
To deter wolves from the campgrounds, park officials attempted hazing, but efforts are not always effective. Hazing includes shouting, sounding airhorns, firing paintball guns and installing noise-producing devices.
An island located in the middle of Lake Superior, Isle Royale National Park covers 850 square miles, according to the National Park Foundation (NPF). The park has 36 campgrounds and 165 miles of hiking trails for visitors.
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