HOUGHTON – The National Park Service has narrowed its options for dealing with the wolf/moose population issue on Isle Royale. It is now seeking additional public comment on whether the NPS should introduce new wolves to the island, and if so, how.

According to the release, the new public comment period will be open for 30 days after an official notice of intent is published in the Federal Register, though exactly when that will be isn’t certain, according to park Superintendent Phyllis Green.

Details on the alternatives under consideration, and information on how to submit comments, are available at parkplanning.nps.gov/ISROwolves, or at the Isle Royale National Park Service Office in Houghton. In last year’s public comment period, people from all 50 states and 19 countries responded, according to NPS.

The current options under consideration include:

doing nothing,

a one-time wolf introduction over a set period of time,

as-needed wolf introductions based on scientific and professional judgment over the 20-year scope of the plan, and

setting resource thresholds, such as a high moose population count that would initiate wolf introduction.

Green said the narrowing of options should not be seen as an indicator NPS is leaning toward more wolves.

“The fundamental thing is whether we do a reintroduction,” she said.

The options eliminated after last summer’s comment period and NPS evaluation involved culling of moose, probably through hunting, to control the population.

“We had lots of comments, enough on hunting to know that’s really controversial and could take us on a path we don’t need to go yet,” Green said.

She added there would be a third comment period on an NPS draft plan once that was completed, probably next winter.