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"It takes a barren environment to exclude the wolf. It asks little—only freedom from persecution by humans and the presence of any species of large, herbivorous animal
to eat."
– John B. Theberge, wolf scientist and author
"I’ve always said that the best wolf habitat resides in the human heart. You have to leave a little space for them to live."
– Ed Bangs, Wolf Recovery Coordinator,
U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service
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 Northeast Habitat
Wolves can survive on many types of prey and habitat, but they need to live where there’s enough to eat and protection from being killed by people and traffic. Although the Northeast is a densely populated region with many roads, houses, and commercial areas, there are still millions of acres of potential wolf habitat.
A recent comprehensive analysis shows that there’s enough habitat and prey (including deer, moose, and beaver) in northern and central Maine to support a population of about 1000 wolves, while New York’s Adirondack/Tug Hill Plateau area could support at least 400. Other studies indicate that even larger populations could survive and thrive in these areas, as well as in the forests of New Hampshire and Vermont. More research is needed to determine potential risks to wolves and interactions with coyotes in those areas with suitable habitat.
Several routes for wolf migration crisscross the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. Well-planned development and reduced hunting and trapping pressures on wolves would go a long way toward keeping these corridors open—allowing individual wolves to travel in search of new mates and homes and populations to remain genetically diverse. Current development pressures mean that ongoing land conservation and species protection efforts, as well as cross-border collaboration among organizations and policymakers, are more critical than ever.
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