Slough Creek Pack in Lamar Valley
Druids?

Aug. 10, 2005

Here is the latest field report from Kathie Lynch, the biology teacher spending her summer in YNP. Despite the summer heat, Slough Creek Pack has been in the Lamar Valley where they killed a cow bison.

Slough Creek has a new alpha female -- 380F. The old alpha female (uncollared) has not been seen since mid-June. The alpha male is big 490M.

Her report also hints that not all may be well with the Druids with the new alpha male, 480M (last year called "the new black") seen alone, looking skinny to some*, foraging at the old Druid rendezvous site.

Here is her report. Thanks, Kathie!

YNP WOLF Field Notes: August 9-10, 2005

 

     The Slough Creek pack has been busy in the Lamar Valley the last couple of days.  On the morning of August 9, they were on a big bull elk carcass above Jasper Bench, with great viewing for those willing to climb (way up!) the (very steep!) hill north of the road above Dorothy's turnout. We watched them all morning until they wandered away to bed in the forest nearby during the heat of the day.

    That evening proved very exciting as 380F and three gray yearlings (491M, "Sharp Right," and "Left Tail") casually wandered by two bison, a cow and a bull, near the elk carcass above Jasper Bench.  The next thing we knew, the wolves grabbed the rear haunches of the small cow bison!  She ran a few steps before they brought her down and then struggled again to her feet, running off with wolves attached.  She ran just out of sight behind a low rise, and within minutes we could see the wolves apparently feeding on her, although the carcass was hidden from view in very tall grass.

    The next morning offered outstanding wildlife watching once again as eight Slough Creek wolves and a big, very dark brown grizzly fed together on the nearby day old elk carcass.  The wolves included the alpha 490M and probable new alpha female, 380F (the former alpha female of the 2004 and 2005 breeding seasons has not been seen since June 14 and is presumed dead), beta 377M, probable beta uncollared gray female (one of the four mother wolves this year), the black "Blaze," and the grays 491M, "Sharp Right," and  "Left Tail."  The grizzly sat on the elk carcass and made occasional lunges to scatter the wolves temporarily, but it was generally a peaceful scene of community dining.  A ninth Slough Creek wolf, the third ranking male, 489M, appeared to feed alone on the bison carcass from the night before.

    One last interesting note:  the Druid Peak pack alpha male, 480M, has been wandering aimlessly and alone around the old Druid rendezvous site in the Lamar Valley (in view from Exclosure Hill) for the last four days.  He is very skinny (ribs showing...and anyone who saw him last summer will remember his pencil tail!) and has been observed scavenging on a month old bison carcass.  Unfortunately, we have no idea where the rest of the Druids are.   

     So, the usually difficult month of August has turned out to be very good for wolf watchers thus far.  If the Sloughs stop putting on a show, we can still hope for the Agate Creek pack (although they have not been seen for several days) and the reliable tiny specks of those distant Leopolds.

* You should note that all wolves look much skinnier in the summer after they have shed their heavy winter coats. Most published wolf photos are taken in the winter, when wolves have their "classic" appearance.

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