Teton Pack and 253M's group have not denned

4-25-2005, update 4-26

The US Fish and Wildlife Service reported that neither the Teton Pack, nor 253M's trio, which spent the winter on the National Elk Refuge, have denned yet. It is getting near the end of the denning season. 253M is the former Druid beta male, who once dispersed to Utah.

Currently the Teton Pack has about 13 members. Several years ago it reached a high of 24.

The Teton Pack has denned and produced pups every year since its formation in 1999, and has been primarily responsible for the flood of wolf dispersers that have gone south in Wyoming, only to be shot by the government, or poisoned illegally.

The Teton Pack den and rendezvous site have been easily visible, and as good a place to see wolves as any rendezvous site in Yellowstone Park.

Meanwhile, as predicted, new wolves have moved into the location of the former Owl Creek Pack, which was killed off primarily by the government several months ago after killing and eating a horse and other livestock south of Meeteetse, WY.

The Service has also reported the most southerly wolf den so far -- near the southern end of the Wind River Range. Regarding this, the Service wrote, "The female was very pregnant and expecting to den any day. The area is in the middle of a sheep lambing area and the local producers were contacted about the situation. WS [Wildlife Service] set a couple of traps and will radio-collar and release a wolf on site to better monitor this new pair."

Obviously a wolf den around sheep is unlikely to prosper. At the recent wolf conference at Chico Hot Springs, Montana, it was reported that wolves kill all kinds of sheep with equal facility because ewes, rams, and lambs are all very easy to kill.

As Ed Bangs has said on several occasions, wolf expansion to the south is difficult because of what amounts to a ring of sheep. I came away from the conference feeling that successful recolonization of Colorado and Utah by wolves from Idaho and Wyoming is not all that likely. At the conference data was presented showing the only truly large block of land left with high suitability for wolves (meaning not just prey, but few livestock) is the Grand Canyon area.

Update 4-26: A keen wolf observer of the Teton Pack emailed me saying, "According to my personal records, #228 of the Teton Pack denned around April 27 last year, a week later than in the past. Maybe there is still a chance. Fingers crossed."
 

  Copyright © 2005 Ralph Maughan