Yellowstone 1997 pups update (minor revison from earlier post)

Jim Halfpenny has sent me very interesting information of the Yellowstone pups of 1997. A number have already been born, five pups are alive and visible outside the den. Another litter starved to death after their mother was killed. Here it is.

Death of 19F and pups, killed by Druid Peak Pack?
Number 19F, one of the orphaned Rose Creek pups born in April 1995, was observed breeding with her brother, no. 21M on Jan.26. She denned to the east of Slough Creek not far from the campground in a narrow draw. Pups were born in late March, but their mother was killed, probably by the Druid Peak Pack. The 20 to 21-day-old pups starved. The pups had been observed outside the den on about April 22. There were four pups.

Ed Bangs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's wolf recovery coordinator hinted that it is possible that she was killed by the Rose Creek pack. He was quoted as saying it was possible this wolf was not supposed to have pups based on her social standing within her pack.

Druid Peak Pack
It is possible that this pack will have three litters of pups. Here is the raw data:

40F - observed breeding with 38M on Feb 24
- suggested whelping date = Apr 25
- suggested date pups visible out of den = May 16
- probably pregnant.

41F - observed breeding with 38M.
- suggested whelping date = Apr 7
- suggested date pups visible out of den = Apr 28
- probably pregnant.

42F- observed breeding with 38M on Feb 8
- suggested whelping date = Apr 9
- suggested date pups visible out of den = Apr 30
- a den location

The Druid Peak Pack is certainly different from the typical Yellowstone Pack, having now possibly killed two adult wolves and one yearling . In addition the alpha male mated with all three female members of the pack. If all the females whelp, there could really be a lot of wolf pups.

Rose Creek Pack
The alpha female no. 9 was observed mating with the alpha male no. 8. The suggested whelping date is April 7. Pups should be visible out of the den on April 28. Nos. 8M and 21M have been observed at the den.

No. 18F had five pups! Number 18 is no. 9's daughter, born in April 1995. The suggested whelping date is April 2 and they were visible out of the den on April 21. No. 18 denned at no. 9's 1996 den site. Wolves 8M, 21M, 51 and 52, have been observed at the den. It is not apparent which wolf fathered the pups.

For some time now we haven't know whether it was no. 18 or no. 23M that dispersed from the Rose Creek Pack (both are uncollared black wolves). The disperser was thus, no. 23.

Note: Since 1995, no. 9 has produced eleven pups in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. A surprising number of her pups from 1995 have now mated as well. The northern part of Yellowstone Park is going to have many wolves.

Other packs and wolves

The Soda Butte Pack has a den, no. 14F.

The Leopold Pack has a den, no. 7F.

No. 16F, formerly from the Rose Creek Pack has a den.
- observed breeding with 34M on Mar 8
- suggested whelping date = May 7
- suggested date pups visible out of den = May 28

No. 17F, formerly of the Rose Creek Pack possibly has a den.
A comment: 34M and 17F were together on the north slope of Seplecher Mountain in the Park's Gallatin Range recently. No. 17F, 16F, and 34M were all together for a while this late winter.

Lone Star Pair, nos. 36M and 30F.
They have not localized. This suggests no pups.

Crystal Creek Pair, no. 5F and 6M
They have not localized, suggesting no pups. If there are no pups, this will be the third year no. 5 has not had pups

Pair 33F and 29M
This is a new pair, one I mentioned only in passing in a recent update. They are at Fountain Flats near the Lower Geyser Basin. It was thought that no. 29M might remain with the Sawtooth pups. Instead he paired with no. 33F, formerly of the Chief Joseph Pack. They probably paired too late to mate.

Pair 26F and 15M
This is the wolf pair far to the SE of the Park. There is no information yet.

Number 27F (still inside the Nez Perce enclosure)
No information yet.

The Sawtooth Pups.
They left the Park and went north into the Paradise Valley. One pup fed on a dead cow (livestock). The pups have returned to the Park and are near Mammoth Hot Springs.

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