217F, Slough Creek alpha female dead.

217F, Slough Creek alpha female dead,
plus more Yellowstone wolves collared.
Jan. 15, 2004, addition Jan. 17

Last year about this time 217F of the Druid Peak and 261M from Mollie's Pack got together and began the Slough Creek Pack.
Today that pack is large and strong with both 10 month old pups and a number of adult wolves attracted to the new pack. Tonight, however, 217F lies dead at the base of a cliff in the Buffalo Fork (of Slough Creek),
On Jan. 11, 217F was located bloody and dead at the bottom of one of the many granite cliffs in the Buffalo Fork while her pack was feeding on an elk on top of the cliff.
Speculation is that during the kill or afterwards, 217F, slipped, or was pushed by the elk or another wolf. I understand her body will probably be retrieved on Jan. 16. Over the last several months, her powerful mate, 261M, seems to have developed a permanent limp. Life as a wolf is tough.
Addition 1-17-04. John Harryman, a long time wolf watcher emailed me the following about 217F. " Maybe the visibility was bad where the kill was located at top of cliffs? & there is a good chance that speedy 217F was the lead wolf. Yes, life is tough for a wolf.
Hopefully her genetics are within some offspring; 217F was the fastest wolf I ever watched; however I haven't seen as many as other observers. Once from Dead Puppy Hill, named due to the finding of a dead coyote pup there, I saw this white streaking thru the sage below. It was 217F chasing a couple of antelope. 'Gosh look at this crazy wolf', but her greyhound speed scattered the antelope! Then one time her black siblings initiated a chase of several elk. White 217F joined the chase some 30-40 yards behind, and rapidly caught and passed her siblings. 'Wow, what speed' I said.
Speaking of tough, Yellowstone crews have used the recent spell of good, but good and cold weather, to radio collar a number of additional wolves.
In the latest round 4 Druid pups were collared and 4 members of the Slough Creek Pack as well (with the death of 217F, 261M was the only collared wolf in the pack). Two Leopold Pack wolves were collared and today Dr. Doug Smith said they caught and collared 3 Agate Creek Pack wolves right on top of cold, cold Specimen Ridge.
The ID numbers, weights, and descriptions of this winter's wolf collaring will be available here in a month or so.
Three more GPS collars were deployed. GPS collars collect data on the wolf's location. Researchers don't have to rely on real time radio signal tracking. Instead the GPS collar records the wolf's location at a set interval and after a set period the collar drops off and can be retrieved and the data downloaded.
The newest GPS collars are even better. . . the data can be downloaded remotely from the wolf. The location interval can also be set to change, and the collar can be made to drop off with a remote signal.
Only one of the very most sophisticated collars has been attached to a wolf. One more is ready to go.
A lot is known now about wintertime wolf predation rates, type of animal, etc., but other than generalities, little is known about the summer food habits of wolves. The GPS collars, especially the most sophisticated one, should begin to provide these data. This particular collar will change from a 6 time a day location to location every half hour beginning June 1, 2004.
Many people believe that winter predation rates overestimate the prey take of wolves, but that is informed speculation only. Now this hypothesis can be tested.
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In Idaho, the Nez Perce Tribal wolf team is beginning radio collaring this week.

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Ralph Maughan PO Box 8264, Pocatello, ID 83209