Wolves have started breaking tents in this national park. A scientist says it’s the campers’ fault

Isle Royale National Park’s popular Three Mile Campground, Duncan Narrows Campground and surrounding offsite camp areas are closed until at least July 31 after an adventurous wolf or wolves were captured. breaking into a shelterPulling a backpack, and getting into a tent.

After closing Three Mile on July 9, National Park Service officials wrote a statement, “The wolf has become increasingly adventurous, showing signs of habituation and increasing dependence on human food.” On July 14, the agency announced it would extend the closure at Duncan Narrows because one or multiple wolves “gained access to the interior of a shelter by tearing, scratching, and pushing screens,” pulling out clothing, and chewing on an “incorrectly stored” cooler found inside.

The Park Service briefly closed Duncan Narrows last month in an effort to address increased wolf behavior. In their press release, the agency said that “continued non-compliance with food storage regulations at this campground” had led them to close it again by the end of the month.

Wolves began to inhabit the island late 1940s After an ice bridge formed between Canada and the island. Current estimates suggest that three wolf packs and 37 Wolves call this area home, with the highest numbers recorded since the 1970s, when their population declined to just two wolves Due to inbreeding.

After the Park Service moved new wolves to the island, the population began to stabilize, but a significant reduction in hunting on the island led to some wolves being moved to the island. seek human food sources. (There has never been a confirmed wolf attack on a human in the history of Isle Royale National Park.)

In the past, the Park Service has resorted to hedging, including improving trash and recycling management and enforcing strict food storage guidelines. It appears neither of them have stopped the wolves trapped in this month’s events yet.

“The recent focus on tents and backpacks at Three Mile Campground is a serious concern,” officials wrote.

Rolf Peterson, A research professor at Michigan Technological University The author of the paper on Isle Royale’s wolves says campers are largely to blame for the recent incidents.

“(Wolves) have been rewarded with food. That’s the problem,” he said. “They find it very easy to wander around the campground and look for food, and people aren’t used to that. So they’re having a hard time storing their food properly and taking proper care of their trash. It’s really an adjustment for people.”

“The natural food sources are beaver and moose, and they are relatively few, but they were even less before,” Peterson said. “The problem really stems from young wolves who were exposed to human food and waste early on and found it to be a pretty good and low-risk situation.”

In response, the Park Service said it would increase efforts to deter aggressive wolf activity by using yelling, stomping, blowing airhorns, paintball guns, and installing noise-making devices in both campgrounds and developed areas of the park. If the behavior continues, it’s possible the Park Service could opt for lethal removal, as it did when it euthanized a food-conditioned wolf in August 2025; Peterson says this does not appear to be the agency’s current strategy.

“Visitor safety and the protection of wildlife are our top priorities,” said Park Superintendent Dennis Swanke. “We ask for your support in securing food, trash and scented items in line with the 2026 Food Storage Guidelines.”

Covering more than 200 square miles in Lake Superior, Isle Royale is the least visited national park in the Lower 48. The park saw just over 29,000 visits in 2025. In addition to wolves, attractions for hikers include moose sightings and a chance to hike the Greenstone Ridge Trail, a nearly 40-mile point-to-point trek that follows a prominent ridge along the spine of the island.