Wolves on a remote island in Lake Superior are flourishing, but their growing numbers are taking a significant toll on the moose population, their primary food source, according to a report published this week.

This delicate ecological balance is under scrutiny in a unique natural laboratory.

Isle Royale, a vast 134,000-acre (54,200-hectare) national park situated in the far western reaches of Lake Superior , between Grand Marais, Minnesota , and Thunder Bay, Canada , serves as an unparalleled site for scientific observation.

Here, researchers can study wolf and moose dynamics largely unhindered by human interference.

Population surveys of these iconic species have been conducted on the island since 1958, traditionally an annual winter undertaking when the roadless park is closed to visitors.

These long-running studies provide invaluable data, yet recent years have presented significant hurdles for the dedicated research teams.

The 2021 pandemic forced the cancellation of the survey for the first time…