Brief Yellowstone wolf update late February 1998

Brief Yellowstone Wolf Update Late February '98

2-24-98 (addition 2-25)

Other than the tragedy with the Thorofare Pack, here is the latest wolf news from Yellowstone.

All of the packs were located in their usual spots. In the most recent tracking flight, number 39, 41, and 52 were not located. Number 39F, the "White Wolf," is probably with former Rose Creek male, no. 52M, who according to Nathan Varley is nicknamed "Hunchback." I know many folks have had their hopes for no. 39, the beautiful white wolf who used to be part of the Druid Peak Pack. Number 41F, also formerly of the Druids has apparently been alternating spending her time alone, sometimes with 39 and 52; and sometimes she is allowed to approach her former pack. In the meantime, Nathan reports that the new alpha male of the Druids, former Rose Creek male no. 21, has been observed mating with Druid number 42F.

This is the mating season. The pups will be born in late April to mid-May.

The current wolf population in Yellowstone and the nearby country is about 80, down from the 100 that was briefly reached in May 1997. Last year at this time the Yellowstone wolf population was estimated at 52 wolves. 1997 was a year of great fertility due to the toll the severe winter took on Park elk and bison. This winter has been much milder so the wolf litters may be smaller. On the other hand, pup survival may be higher. The most pups by far where born in the Rose Creek Pack, but this pack in turn apparently had high pup mortality during the summer, which it spent unobserved on top of the Buffalo Plateau.

Be sure and check out Nathan Varley's new wolf site, The Yellowstone Wolf Tracker. Nathan is in a position to gather and report a great amont of interesting information about theYellowstone wolves. I expect this site to become very popular.

Added 2-25. The Waskakie Pack seems to now consist of five wolves. They have been repeatedly tracked all along the base of the Absaroka Range's southern flank from near Togwotee Pass on the west to the East Fork of the Wind River on the east. This pack lost its alpha male (No. 15M, shot by the ADC last autumn after killing cows in the DuNoir). The remaining adult is number 26F. The other four are pups. There will be no new pups in this pack come May.

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