Monitoring

All Yellowstone wolf packs remain localized within their normal home ranges, none were located outside expected areas. Female wolf #39 which has ranged far north of Yellowstone in the past has not been located for over a month. The Rose Creek, Druid and Mammoth "threesome" packs have 2 dens. The Leopold, Soda Butte (near Heart Lake), Dubious, and Crystal packs, all appear to have a den. The Thorofare pair has not appeared to have denned. That means the Yellowstone recovery area has seven breeding pairs (packs) and 10 litters (not counting the Rose Creek female and her 4 pups that died, probably by the Druid pack) this year. It is unlikely all those litters will survive this summer since several were born to lone females. At least six of the pups (now yearlings) that were recently released from the Nez Perce pen were located near Hebgen Lake with a 2-year old male that had been held in that pen.

Wolf pairs in Idaho continue to localize and there are up to 13 pairs that could produce pups this spring. Two pairs (5 radio-collared wolves) are north of the Salmon River - on the Bitterroot and Clearwater National Forests. There are 21 radio-collared wolves in at least 8-9 potential breeding pairs south of the Salmon River - on the Payette, Boise, Sawtooth, Salmon-Challis National Forests. Over the next several weeks, the Nez Perce Tribe will be flying more intensively to locate potential dens.

Livestock Depredations & Management (control)

The Big Hole male (#07), was placed back in the pen in central Idaho with his mate (#11). The rancher who lost sheep near Boulder, WY and roped the unmarked wolf (potential captive animal) was compensated for his losses by theDefenders of Wildlife.

Research

The Nez Perce Tribe will hold the first of three meetings to coordinate wolf research in Idaho in Missoula on May 9 and 10.

Dr. Diane Boyd successfully defended her dissertation on wolf genetics (Congrats!!! Diane). UM student Kyran Kunkel will defend his dissertation on wolf/ungulate relationships in the North Fork of the Flathead at theUniversity on May 1 (Good luck!!). Douglas Smith, Yellowstone National Park wolf biologists, passed his dissertation defense at the University of Nevada,Reno (the Wolf Pack) last week. Congrats to Dr. Doug.

Information, Education & Law Enforcement

A wolf-livestock cooperative meeting was hosted by the Nez Perce Tribe in Emmet, Idaho on April 29. The Tribe also met with representatives of the Idaho Sportsman in Boise on April 28, and evenings informational programs were given in Weippe, Elk City, and Koosia, Idaho. Other informational programs will be given to rural communities in central Idaho in the following months.

Bangs met with the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission in Casper, WY on April 28. The meeting was productive with the Commission asking many good questions. Several erroneous "facts" that had been circulating were corrected.

The weekly wolf report can now be viewed at the Service's Region 6 web site at www.r6.fws.gov/wolf.

Contact: Ed Bangs (406)449-5225 or Internet - ED_BANGS@FWS.GOV

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