Researchers have found that Michigan’s wolf population has exceeded state and federal recovery goals for more than two decades, meaning Michigan’s wolves no longer warrant endangered-species status. This method was used for 25 years and produced widely varying population estimates from year to year. Read More: Bold Isle Royale Wolves Force Campground ClosuresHow DNR Uses Cameras to Estimate Wolf NumbersMichigan Department of Natural Resources Michigan Department of Natural ResourcesAccording to a Michigan Department of Natural Resources press release, the DNR and Michigan State University researchers successfully estimated Michigan’s wolf population by installing 1,311 trail cameras across the Upper Peninsula. Michigan Department of Natural Resources Michigan Department of Natural ResourcesInstalling the cameras made it much easier for researchers to retrieve memory cards and replace batteries than tracking wolves through the snow. Get our free mobile appResearchers found no major surprises in the wolf population estimates.