Yellowstone Wolf News: Nez Perce Pack learns to kill adult bison, and probably killed a grizzly bear cub.
July 25, 2001, additions 7-27
There is a lot of interesting Yellowstone Park news. This news is primarily based on information provided by Deb Guernsey and Doug Smith of the Yellowstone wolf team.
Nez Perce Pack. Dr. Smith, head of the Yellowstone wolf team, told me that the Nez Perce wolf pack has learned to kill adult bison, and has killed two over the last week or so. The pack's range has many elk, but is especially abundant with bison. The bison were killed in the Hayden Valley. Significantly a bear cub was recently found dead there, killed by a cougar or wolves. However, cougar rarely visit this part of the park. Even though the first grizzly to have been killed by wolves may have been recorded, the provision of extra animal protein by wolves has greatly benefited the grizzly population. If wolves become significant predators on bison, even more will be available.
The Nez Perce pack is also the second largest (21 adult and sub-adult wolves) in the Park and has recently been showing up in Gibbon Meadow, a favorite place to watch elk and bison, but rarely, in the past, wolves.
It is believed the pack has another litter this year, but this has not been confirmed.
Rose Creek Pack. It has finally been confirmed that this pack, dating to 1995, does have a litter for 2001. Seven pups have been observed. The alpha pair are venerable 18F and a 3 or 4 year old male, 207M. There are 5 adult wolves in the pack.
Rose Creek Pack (Tower Group). This group of 5 wolves, derived from the Rose Creek Pack, but now separate, has made a foray far to the south and were last seen in Solfatara Creek on the Park's Central Plateau. The pack will not be renamed, however, until they have pups. It is quite certain that they had none this year.
Leopold Pack. Earlier thought to have just one pup. Three have been observed. There are 13 adults or subadults in the pack.
Swan Lake Pack. Just two pups for this pack of seven (not counting the pups). which had its first litter in 2000. They are frequently seen on or near Swan Lake Flat in the north part of the Park between Willow Flat and Mammoth.
Chief Joseph Pack. It still appears that the pack had a small litter this year -- 3 pups. The pack has largely remained near Daly Creek in the extreme NW corner of the Park. The are 13 adults or subadults in the pack.
Mollies Pack. Formerly the Crystal Creek Pack, but with no pups in 2000 and just one in 1999, the pack was renamed and reborn. It had shrunk to 4 adults wolves, but now there are six pups near the remote Mushpots den site near Pelican Valley.
Yellowstone Delta Pack. Four pups have been seen at the pack's new den site. The den is in the remote Yellowstone Delta area. Backcountry visitors, few though they are, have heard the pack howl almost every day. Last year the den site was near the Thorofare Ranger Station, just inside the Park. Hostile outfitters apparently tried to disrupt the pack and repeatedly rode though the den area.
There are a total of 13 adults and subadults in the pack.
Sheep Mountain Pack (just north of the Park). Just a pair of two. They appeared to have denned, but no pups have been observed.
Cougar Creek Pair (just NE of West Yellowstone). No pups observed, but it is in an area of thick lodgepole pine regeneration from the fires of 1988.
Freezeout Pack 155F and 161M (this is really quite a way west of the Park). They have been named the Freezeout Pack. This pair has 4 pups in the West Fork of the Madison River (Gravelly Range).
Druid Peak Pack. The pack seems to be moving the pups to a rendezvous site. One of 103F's may have died, although one pup was frequently seen on its own, and might simply have been overlooked in recent observations. The official estimate for this pack, including pups is 38 wolves!
Smith reports that there have never been more human induced disruptions of the Druid's behavior as there has been this spring/summer. He fears the pack might, as a result, abandon the easily observed parts of the Lamar (much as the Yellowstone Delta Pack did after the outfitters went after it). Wolf observers are asked to stay at the usual observation sites and on Park trails or the incredible display the Druids have made since 1996 might end.
Taylor Peak (west of the Park in the Madison Range). Though to have pups, but not observed. 5 adult wolves.
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