Michipicoten Island facts for kids
Landsat view of the island.
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Lake Superior |
| Coordinates | 47°45′N 85°45′W / 47.750°N 85.750°W |
| Area | 184 km2 (71 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
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Canada
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| Province | Ontario |
| District | Thunder Bay District |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Seasonally variable |
Michipicoten Island is a large island in Ontario, Canada. It is located in the northeastern part of Lake Superior. The island is about 175 kilometers (109 miles) northwest of Sault Ste. Marie. It is also about 65 kilometers (40 miles) southwest of Wawa, Ontario. At its closest point, the island is only about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the mainland. It is part of the Thunder Bay District.
Michipicoten Island is the second largest island in Lake Superior. It is 27 kilometers (17 miles) long. At its widest point, it measures 10 kilometers (6 miles) across.
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Michipicoten Island Provincial Park
Most of Michipicoten Island is a protected area. In 1985, it became Michipicoten Island Provincial Park. This park also includes smaller islands, shallow areas, and the waters around the island. The park is managed by Ontario Parks. It follows a plan from 1986.
Who Lives on the Island?
During spring, summer, and fall, some people visit or live on the island. These include:
- Owners of private camps
- Commercial fishers
- Visitors to a special outpost camp
Some adventurous kayakers also enjoy visiting the island. In the winter, the island is usually empty. This is because it is very remote and hard to reach.
Nature and Geography
Michipicoten Island is full of interesting wildlife. You can find beavers, woodland caribou, and many different birds. The island is part of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest region.
Island Formation
The island is made of very old lava rock. This rock formed from volcanoes long ago. These volcanoes were part of the Midcontinent Rift System. The island is heavily covered in trees. It also has more than 20 lakes inside it. The land is rugged, with ridges running from east to west. The highest point on the island is 298 meters (978 feet) above Lake Superior.
Lighthouse History
A lighthouse was built on the eastern end of the island in 1912. It helped guide ships on Lake Superior. People worked at the lighthouse until 1988.
Island Names and Legends
On some old maps, Michipicoten Island was called Isle Maurepas. This name came from a French minister. The name Michipicoten comes from the Ojibwe language. The original Ojibwe word is Mishipikwadina. It means "big bluffs." This refers to the tall cliffs near the Michipicoten River.
Mishipeshu: The Water Panther
In the traditional beliefs of some Native American tribes, a powerful creature lives on Michipicoten Island. This creature is called Mishipeshu. It is also known as the "water panther." Tribes like the Anishinaabe, Odawa, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi believe in Mishipeshu. These tribes live in the Great Lakes region of Canada and the United States.
Woodland Caribou on Michipicoten Island
Michipicoten Island once had its own caribou population. But these caribou disappeared from the island in the mid-1800s. This happened because of too much hunting.
Caribou Return to the Island
In 1981, a single male caribou was seen on the island. No one knows how it got there. In 1982, more caribou were brought to the island. One male, three adult females, and three female calves were moved from the Slate Islands. The Ministry of Natural Resources helped with this move. Another male caribou was moved in 1989.
From these moves until 2001, the caribou population grew. It reached about 160 animals in 2001. By 2011, the herd had grown even more, to 680 animals. This was one of the fastest growth rates ever seen for caribou.
Wolves Arrive and Caribou Decline
In the winter of 2014, four wolves crossed to Michipicoten Island. They walked over an ice bridge that formed between the island and the mainland. By the winter of 2016/2017, the wolf population had more than tripled. By 2017/2018, there were about 20 wolves on the island.
The presence of wolves caused the caribou population to drop. People worried that the caribou might disappear from the island again.
Why the Caribou are Important
The caribou on Michipicoten Island are very important for science. They helped scientists study why caribou populations decline. One idea was that caribou needed a lot of lichen to eat. Another idea was that wolves eating caribou was the main reason.
On Michipicoten Island, caribou numbers grew even without much lichen. This showed that lichen might not be as important as thought. Then, when wolves arrived, the caribou population went down. This suggested that wolves are a key factor in caribou decline.
The caribou on Michipicoten Island are also important for nature. They, along with the Slate Islands caribou, are the last clear examples of a caribou population that once lived all along the north shore of Lake Superior. Surveys in 2016 did not find any other caribou in that area.
Moving the Animals
By March 2019, all the remaining caribou and wolves were moved off the island. This was done because the caribou population was very low. A group of eight wolves was moved to Isle Royale in 2018.
