Isle Royale National Park is encouraging visitors to properly store food and scented items, reminding the public that wolves on the island will eat unsecured food and steal unattended belongings.
According to the park, wolves are drawn to any item carrying a scent, not just food. That includes trash, toiletries such as toothpaste and lip balm, cooking supplies, grills, coolers, and fish or fish parts. Unless visitors are actively using or attending to these items, they must be stored properly at all times.
A special emphasis is placed on backpacks and bags. Visitors should never leave them unattended and should always keep them within arm’s reach. Even when scented items have been removed, wolves remain interested in backpacks and bags because they carry a human scent, and to wolves humans equal food. Noncompliance with food storage regulations may result in tickets or fines.
Isle Royale, a remote island wilderness in Lake Superior, is home to one of the most closely studied wolf populations in the world. The predators have long played a central role in the park’s ecosystem, and their presence is part of what draws backpackers and paddlers to the isolated destination each summer.
Visitors planning a trip to the island should review the park’s food storage guidelines before arriving, as proper storage techniques differ from those used in many other backcountry settings. More information on how to store food, trash, and other scented items on Isle Royale is available on the National Park Service website.