Monitoring

All Yellowstone wolf packs remain localized within their normal home ranges and 10 females are maintaining dens. The Dubios den has still not been confirmed but the pair localized near Du Noir Creek. Lone wolf #39F (former Druid female), who was missing for 2 months and in the past had wandered far to the north in Montana, was found tending pups at the Druid pack dens. Yearling female #48, which escaped the Nez Perce pen was found at the NE corner of the Park. Five Sawtooth yearlings (# 63F, 64F, 65F, 67M, and 72M) are still hanging around Hebgen Lake. Another (#68F) continues to use areas around the Nez Perce pen. The last Sawtooth yearling (#69M) travels with 2 older wolves (#29M and 33F) in the western portion of the Park. Another yearling was located south of Yellowstone Park. The Yellowstone recovery area has 9 breeding pairs (packs) and up to 13 litters in 1997 (including the litter that died, the litter in captivity, and the suspected litter of the Dubios pair). Surprisingly, only one den (Dubios) is outside the Park.

Wolves in central Idaho were located and it appears that there are 7 dens, and 2 possible dens from wolves that are localized but have not settled yet. About 4 other wolf pairs are still travelling together but have not localized. Bangs flew with Kaminski on May 20 to look over the study area and discuss monitoring difficulties.

Monitoring in NW Montana is being hampered by flooding which has washed out several roads. A Forest Service biologist discovered the Whitefish pack den and attempts will be made to radio-collar a pack member. The seasonal crew continues to located dens and prepare for trapping in June.

Livestock Depredations & Management (control)

Nothing new to report.

Research

Nothing new to report.

Information, Education & Law Enforcement

A training session Wolf Handling with Veterinary Perspectives with be held by Dr. Mark Johnson on May 29-30 at the University of Montana, Missoula, MT. For information contact Dr. Johnson at (406) 848-2275, for registration information contact Clare Kelly at the Univ. of Montana Center for Continuing Education (406) 243-4623.

Law enforcement investigations of the Boulder/Big Sandy wolf (it killed sheep,was roped and is being held in a pen in Yellowstone), Cody "wolf or wolf/doghybrid" (was euthanized by the Service after it was determined not to be a wild wolf), and the recent death of a yearling female wolf near Alder/Ruby Reservoir in Montana are continuing. Details will be released once the investigations are completed and the cases are closed.

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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