4-13-99 updated 5-26
Here is the latest Yellowstone country wolf update. A number of female wolves have "localized" near probable den sites.
Number 16, of the Chief Joseph Pack has been near last year's densite for some time now.
Number 48, of the Nez Perce Pack is at last year's densite in the vicinity of Nez Perce Creek. It is not known whether the three pups (now almost yearlings) with the pack are hers from last year, those of Sawtooth female , and adapted by the pack, or a combination.
Number 42, the beta female of the Druid Peak Pack has dug a den away from the pack's traditional timber-obscured densite on Druid Peak. Interestingly, a hostile interaction between her and the Druid's alpha female, no. 40 at 42's densite was recently observed. Number 40 arrived with the pack, and 40 drove 42 from her den site. Park observers have seen no pups at 42's densite, and I believe 42 may now be traveling with the pack. Nathan Varley reports that a number of Druid females may be carrying pups, including no. 40. I understand that one or more of these have now localized near the pack's traditional densite on Druid Peak. Multiple matings have occurred every year in this female-filled wolf pack. Every year folks expect lots of pups to come down off of Druid Peak, but the results were just 4 pups in 1997 and two pups in 1998.
Added on 5-26-99. Wolf Tracker now has a complete story of this incident and a history of 42F and the Druid Peak Pack. A Biography of Wolf 42.
Other packs-
The Soda Butte Pack is back in Yellowstone, last located at Chipmunk Creek in the Thorofare. They have "bounced back and forth" the considerable distance between Yellowstone and Grand Teton NP/Elk Refuge numerous times this winter and spring.
Chief Joseph no. I pack was last located in Cinnabar Basin north of the park on the east side of the Gallatin Range. This is in their normal territory. However, they recently explored the Taylor Fork of the Gallatin River area NW of Yellowstone for the first time.
The large Rose Creek Pack was spread out with the main group of wolves located in Slough Creek, the core of their territory.
The Leopold Pack was a bit north of their normal range. They were on Mt. Everts, the big flat-topped, steep-sided mountain just northeast of Mammoth Hot Springs. One of their pups, number 151F, is still off by herself with a number of uncollared wolves. Is this a new pack?
Crystal Creek Pack was, as usual in the Pelican Valley. Nathan Varley has written a great story about a wintertime expedition to follow this big and seldom seen pack, which subsists in the deep snow of the Pelican Valley's winter on a fair number of moose and probably bison too.
The Teton Duo and Jackson Trio continue to inhabit the Elk Refuge/Grand Teton National Park area. Neither group has yet localized. Grand Teton National Park indicates that specific locations of these wolves will usually be withheld so as to avoid human disturbance at their expected den sites.
The Sunlight Pair has localized in the Sunlight Basin area east of Yellowstone NP. A recent visual aerial observation indicated that the female, no. 41F (former suspected of being the alpha female in the Druid Peak Pack) had not denned.
A number of uncollared wolves continue to inhabit the Dunoir area northwest of Dubois, Wyoming. They have been using the entire Dunor Valley, but most recently have been near Steve Gordon's ranch.
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