YNP wolf update; 3 more pups discovered!

6/19/96.

---

Here are the results of the tracking flights of June 15-17, 1996.

The big news is at last it has been definitely confirmed that the
Leopold Pair (pack) on the Blacktail Deer Plateau has pups -- three
of them.

The Leopold Pack was formed when female no. 7 (R7F) (origin-
ally from the Rose Creek pen as they were released in spring 1995),
paired with wolf R2M, originally from the Crystal Creek Pack. The
pairing took place last January. Wolf 7, who had last been seen
with her mother (famous wolf R9) in April 1995, had lived all summer
and fall as a lone wolf in the northern part of Yellowstone Park.

The two wolves are quite distinctive: Wolf 7 is reddish-gray; Wolf 2
is black with some gray intermixed. No. 2 also has a light white
chest patch (this information comes from Jim Halfpenny and Diann
Thompson's new book, "Discovering Yellowstone Wolves").

NEZ PERCE WOLVES
As I reported yesterday, wolves 29 and 37 (both yearlings) were
captured yestereday and placed in the Rose Creek acclimation pen.

The original alpha female of the pack, wolf 27, was located back
at her den site near in the Stillwater River drainage. There has
been speculation (see previous articles) that her pups were dead,
but she is confirmed to be tending at least one pup (she bore five
pups when she denned alone in April). Biologists will begin again
supplemental feeding for her.

The big alpha male, no. 28, was located in the Park four miles east
of Mammoth Hot Springs. Female yearling no. 26, who had been with
female yearling no. 30 in Sunlight Basin, was located alone on the
Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone River, 15 miles east of Cooke City,
Montana. Wolf 30 was not located this flight.

Biologists are continuing efforts to capture more of the pack. A
decision on the alpha female and her pup(s) has not been ruled out,
but is apparently on hold.

THE LONE STAR MALE
Back from his "tour" of eastern Idaho, which included visits to
the Snake River Mountains, the west slope of the Teton Range, and
Island Park; wolf 35 is back in the Park near Old Faithful, not far
from where his mate died from hot spring burns while carrying six
unborn pups.

DRUID PEAK PACK
This 1996 pack was still in the NE corner of Yellowstone Park.

ROSE CREEK PACK
They are still in the lower part of the Lamar Valley. Wolf no. 9
is tending her three new pups. This is the Park's largest pack,
now containing twelve wolves.

CHIEF JOSEPH PACK
Female wolves 32 and 33, plus male wolf 34, have moved back to the
western part of Yellowstone Park. Male wolf 31 who had spent the
last two weeks just east of the town of West Yellowstone near the
Madison River was not located.

CRYSTAL CREEK PACK
Its two remaining wolves are still in the Lamar Valley.

SODA BUTTE PACK
As I reported in earlier articles, all of the pack but one,
including three new pups, were captured and are doing well
inside the Crystal Creek Bench acclimation pen. Male wolf
15, which escaped capture, was located *with* the Nez Perce
female, no. 27 near the Stillwater River.

SUMMARY
So, there are at least ten new pups alive among the wolves. It
will be interesting to see if no. 15 from the Soda Butte Pack
will stay with no. 27 and help her with her pup(s).

I was pleased to see the Lone Star male back in the Park. When
he went southeast to Eastern Idaho, I felt his chances of ever
contributing to the Park's growing wolf population were slim.