By JOHN FLESHER | AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The superintendent of Isle Royale National Park says officials have decided not to bring more wolves to the Lake Superior island chain for now to prevent their dwindling population from dying out.

Phyllis Green said Wednesday that after consulting with experts, she's convinced there is time for a comprehensive study of the role that wolves and moose play in the park's ecosystem.

She said officials could reconsider importing wolves if gender imbalance prevents the island population from breeding or if moose overbrowse park vegetation.

Wolves are believed to have migrated to Isle Royale from the Canadian or Minnesota mainland across ice bridges in the late 1940s. Their predator-prey relationship with moose is the subject of a world-renowned scientific study.

The wolves' numbers have dropped in recent years. Only nine remain.