Former Druid 105F killed by Rose Creek Pack

Tower wolf 208M also dead

6-20-2003, rev. 6-25

I have been in the Greater Yellowstone for the last 8 days, so I posted no updates, despite plenty wolf news.

It turns out that the mortality signal on former Druid 105F did signal her death, not a dropped collar. She was killed by other wolves, very likely the Rose Creek Pack. Her torn body revealed that she had been nursing pups. Whether her new Buffalo Fork Pack will survive is an open question. Her pack has 2 or 3 other wolves, but none are radio collared and their sex and age is not known, nor is the location of her den site known. The chances for her pups is therefore unknown.

Meanwhile the body of 208M, of the former Tower Pair was located by radio tracking. The "Tower Pair" had been around for several years, once even consisting of a proto-pack of 4 or 5 wolves. However, the formation of the Agate and Geode Creek Packs basically pre-empted this pack's development. 103F's group (before it was part of the Agate Pack) attacked 208M and his mate and almost killed him early in 2002.

Recently his signal (in mortality mode) was located after a long silence. The signal was heard when flying a different pattern. Only 208M's skull was recovered and removed from the area. His body was decomposed. His death is recorded as "natural, of unknown cause."