In March 2002 it was discovered that there was mange in the Absaroka wolf pack, east of Yellowstone park. The alpha male 164M and another member of the pack had mange. Because mange results in severe hair loss (due to the wolf scratching) few thought 164M would ever see spring 2002 much less survive on, but he did, dying finally sometime in the winter of 2003. Mange usually kills by infection, sunburn, or hypothermia.

Observations of the pack in summer and fall of 2002 indicated the mange seemed to have disappeared, but that was either wrong, or it has since reinfected the pack, and seriously so. In the most recent "Grey Wolf Progress Report" USFWS writes: "The Absaroka pack still has mange. The alpha male died from manage this past winter. There have been reports of other mangy wolves in this pack’s territory. Volunteers watched a mangy wolf near coyotes- he was attempting to scavenge and they were following/harassing him. On the 5^th, male #240 was captured near a recent calf depredation. He was involved in the depredation but also had very severe mange, and was euthanized. Trapping is continuing to radio-collar and release on site, because only one radio remains in the pack. Any wolves captured will be injected with Ivermectin to see if it can help the infected individual wolf."

Ivermectin is the standard treatment for mange. Treatment is not difficult in pet dogs and cats, but because treatment is normally administered every week or two, this is hard to accomplish with free-ranging canids such as these wolves.

Mike Jimenez told me mange is fairly common among coyotes in the area. The short-lived Red Lodge wolf pack, about 20 miles to the north, was control killed last winter for livestock depredations, but upon examination all the members shot had mange. That pack's territory was geographically similar to the Absaroka Pack's.

Mange has also showed up to a small extent in the Paradise Valley north of the Park.

Mange is not a native infestation, in 1905, Montana state veterinarians introduced sarcoptic mange into the local wolf population to try to weaken and kill it. Wildlife still suffers today from their crude biological warfare. One might also speculate that weak wolves are more likely to go after easy stuff like sheep and cow calves.

The survival of the Absaroka Pack is also related to wolf delisting and Wyoming state wolf management. The state of Wyoming promises to maintain 7 wolf packs outside Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Outside the national parks, in Wyoming right now there are the following packs: Absaroka, Greybull, Green River (Pinedale), Sunlight Basin, Washakie. That is just 5 packs. Wyoming might want to try to count these too: Teton (but is it really a Grand Teton NP pack?). Yellowstone Delta (but it spends over 50% of the time inside Yellowstone Park. Beartooth, (but it spends part of the time in Montana). Gros Ventre, but it is no longer reproductive and may not even exist (no collars to tell). If Wyoming gets to count all of these packs, there are 9 Wyoming non-park packs. If Absaroka disappears, the number falls to either 4 (minimum) or 8 (maximum). The Sunlight Basin Pack has killed a few cows lately. If that pack is "controlled," the number would fall to 3 - 7 packs. Will the federal government deliver to Wyoming at least 7 packs for the state to conserve?

Update 7-18-2003. "Green River Pack to be " 'controlled.' " From the Sublette Examiner. By Cat Urbikit. Ed Bangs told me the alpha male has already been shot and "he will be amazed if the female is not as well." Wolf supporters, lawyers, etc. should begin to make the case that management of Wyoming wolves (assuming this control takes place) cannot legally be turned over to Wyoming because an honest count will now show but four Wyoming non-national park packs: Washakie, Greybull, Sunlight Basin, and Absaroka (threatened with mange). Interesting that delisting might be derailed because of 2 cow calves. What a loss! Maybe the Upper Green River Cattle Association will be hoisted on their own petard.

Update 7-21-2003. Here is how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service described it. "The Green River pack [a gray and a black pair with pups] attacked a calf on [July] 12th on a Forest Service allotment. The calf lived but had its tail snipped off and hindquarters bitten. There was no control authorized at that time. Two other calves were confirmed killed on the 14th. The radioed pair was involved in calf depredations last year, and the alpha male was shot from the air on the 17th. If problems continue the alpha female will also be killed. We will attempting to place any sub-adults we can catch in captivity. This area is extensively used for livestock grazing."

The reader may want to notice that these cattle are grazing on your public land, and graze essentially for free -- $1.35 per cow or cow and calf per month. Many people think that predation should be a cost of doing business given the enormous subsidy the taxpayer gives them. . . . rm

 

Update. Adele Brand suggested the following web page about mange treatment using Arsenicum alb and Sulphur