http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cristina-eisenberg/wolves-in-paradise-yellowstones-wolves-in-transition_b_6688388.html
Wolves in Paradise? Yellowstone's Wolves in Transition
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When Congress listed the gray wolf as endangered
under the Endangered Species Act in 1974, it set the
stage for a famous ecological experiment. The federal
government began to create a recovery plan, which
called for wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National
Park and Idaho.
under the Endangered Species Act in 1974, it set the
stage for a famous ecological experiment. The federal
government began to create a recovery plan, which
called for wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National
Park and Idaho.
In 1995, the reintroduced wolves hit the ground running
. Scientists carefully documented the ecological effects
wolves sent rippling throughout the northern Rocky
Mountains. Wolves restored this ecosystem from
top to bottom. The subsequent recovery of willows
and aspens that elk had been eating to death in the
absence of wolves offered a powerful ecological lesson.
. Scientists carefully documented the ecological effects
wolves sent rippling throughout the northern Rocky
Mountains. Wolves restored this ecosystem from
top to bottom. The subsequent recovery of willows
and aspens that elk had been eating to death in the
absence of wolves offered a powerful ecological lesson.
Yellowstone Wolf Reintroduction, Photo Credit National
Park Service
Park Service
By 2002, wolves had reached recovery goals of 300
individuals and 30 breeding pairs in Idaho, Montana,
and Wyoming for three consecutive years. Since 2011,
wolves have been delisted and hunted annually in much
of the northern Rockies.
Because wolves don't abide by political boundaries,
Montana implemented a buffer zone around
Yellowstone where wolves couldn't be hunted.
However, the state quickly succumbed to pressure
from hunters and removed this buffer, leaving
Yellowstone wolves vulnerable.
Montana implemented a buffer zone around
Yellowstone where wolves couldn't be hunted.
However, the state quickly succumbed to pressure
from hunters and removed this buffer, leaving
Yellowstone wolves vulnerable.
The 2012/2013 wolf hunt, combined with other causes
of mortality, caused a 12 percent drop in their population
. While this level of mortality is biologically sustainable
in a species as resilient as the wolf, the impacts of the
wolf hunt go far beyond numbers.
of mortality, caused a 12 percent drop in their population
. While this level of mortality is biologically sustainable
in a species as resilient as the wolf, the impacts of the
wolf hunt go far beyond numbers.
The Lamar Canyon pack, formerly one of the most
stable and viewable park packs, is a case-in-point.
When the gun smoke cleared from the 2012/13 wolf
hunt, this pack's story provides a cautionary tale
about the unintended consequences of hunting
wolves immediately outside national parks.
stable and viewable park packs, is a case-in-point.
When the gun smoke cleared from the 2012/13 wolf
hunt, this pack's story provides a cautionary tale
about the unintended consequences of hunting
wolves immediately outside national parks.
Lamar Canyon pack,
photo by
Doug McLaughlin
Before the 2012/13 hunt, an illustrious pair led the Lamar
Canyon pack: wolf 832, called the '06 female (for her
birth year) and wolf 755M. Pack leadership also
included wolf 754M, the beta male (755M's brother),
who'd vied for 832F's admiration and then helped the
alpha pair care for their pups. This trio engendered
tremendous public affection. Capable of taking down
an elk by herself, '06 quickly became a legend. She
ranged widely through the Lamar Valley, yet she
seldom left the park.
Canyon pack: wolf 832, called the '06 female (for her
birth year) and wolf 755M. Pack leadership also
included wolf 754M, the beta male (755M's brother),
who'd vied for 832F's admiration and then helped the
alpha pair care for their pups. This trio engendered
tremendous public affection. Capable of taking down
an elk by herself, '06 quickly became a legend. She
ranged widely through the Lamar Valley, yet she
seldom left the park.
The '06 Female, photo
by
Doug McLaughlin
Tragedy struck in November 2012, when 754M met a
hunter's bullet in Wyoming, outside the park. The next
month, the '06 female also went down in the wolf hunt.
Their entirely legal deaths played out publicly and
created public outrage. But that was only the beginning
of the trouble.
hunter's bullet in Wyoming, outside the park. The next
month, the '06 female also went down in the wolf hunt.
Their entirely legal deaths played out publicly and
created public outrage. But that was only the beginning
of the trouble.
754M, photo by
Doug McLaughlin
When breeding season began in late December, one of
'06's daughters became the new alpha. However,
because she was the alpha male's daughter, she
wouldn't breed with him. And so now 755M, the
alpha male, a great hunter with the most social
experience, went looking for a mate. This left the
Lamar Canyon pack unstable and leaderless.
'06's daughters became the new alpha. However,
because she was the alpha male's daughter, she
wouldn't breed with him. And so now 755M, the
alpha male, a great hunter with the most social
experience, went looking for a mate. This left the
Lamar Canyon pack unstable and leaderless.
By late January, the Lamar Canyon pack was going
through major changes. Two of 755M's daughters had
attracted mates from other packs. Meanwhile, 755M,
who'd been wandering, had found a mate, 759F from
Mollie's pack, and returned to his pack with her. But
pack dynamics had shifted in his absence, so what he
returned to was actually partly his old pack with some
new wolves. The new males turned on 759F, killed her,
and ran 755M off. By April 2013, 755M's daughters
were both pregnant and preparing for birth, and the
pack was spending lots of time outside the park.
through major changes. Two of 755M's daughters had
attracted mates from other packs. Meanwhile, 755M,
who'd been wandering, had found a mate, 759F from
Mollie's pack, and returned to his pack with her. But
pack dynamics had shifted in his absence, so what he
returned to was actually partly his old pack with some
new wolves. The new males turned on 759F, killed her,
and ran 755M off. By April 2013, 755M's daughters
were both pregnant and preparing for birth, and the
pack was spending lots of time outside the park.
Eventually '06's daughters had their pups. While at
first this seemed an example of wolf resilience, further
events demonstrate how '06's and 754's deaths
disrupted this pack's social stability. In August 2013,
wolf 820F, '06's two-year-old daughter, left the
pack under hostile pressure from her older sisters.
That she'd spent her entire life in the park and was
very used to people led her to make a foolish choice.
She started hanging out in Jardine, Montana. When
she turned to raiding chicken coops for food,
Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks killed her.
first this seemed an example of wolf resilience, further
events demonstrate how '06's and 754's deaths
disrupted this pack's social stability. In August 2013,
wolf 820F, '06's two-year-old daughter, left the
pack under hostile pressure from her older sisters.
That she'd spent her entire life in the park and was
very used to people led her to make a foolish choice.
She started hanging out in Jardine, Montana. When
she turned to raiding chicken coops for food,
Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks killed her.
In wolf society, each spring begets new beginnings.
In spring 2014, the Lamar Canyon pack denned
and produced pups. That fall, people often saw
926F romping with her pups, her playfulness
notably different from the '06 Female's intensity.
And as the seasons turned yet again, around
Valentine's Day 2015, people observed 755M
mating with his new alpha female.
In spring 2014, the Lamar Canyon pack denned
and produced pups. That fall, people often saw
926F romping with her pups, her playfulness
notably different from the '06 Female's intensity.
And as the seasons turned yet again, around
Valentine's Day 2015, people observed 755M
mating with his new alpha female.
The Lamar Canyon pack's response to the wolf
hunt demonstrates both resilience and instability
in the face of challenges. A reinstated buffer would
return these and other wolves to being a protected
research population and fully realizing their
ecological role. In the meantime, scientists are
actively studying the impacts of the hunt on wolf
behavior to help inform wolf policy.
hunt demonstrates both resilience and instability
in the face of challenges. A reinstated buffer would
return these and other wolves to being a protected
research population and fully realizing their
ecological role. In the meantime, scientists are
actively studying the impacts of the hunt on wolf
behavior to help inform wolf policy.
* * *
Learn more about Yellowstone's wolves and the
impacts of the wolf hunt by readingThe Carnivore
Way: Coexisting with and Conserving North
America's Predators, by Dr. Cristina Eisenberg.
Learn more about wolf and large carnivore
conservation by signing up for the Rewilding
Adventure sweepstakes, offered by Island Press,
or by joining Cristina afield on her Earthwatch
expedition, Tracking Fire and Wolves through
the Canadian Rockies.
impacts of the wolf hunt by readingThe Carnivore
Way: Coexisting with and Conserving North
America's Predators, by Dr. Cristina Eisenberg.
Learn more about wolf and large carnivore
conservation by signing up for the Rewilding
Adventure sweepstakes, offered by Island Press,
or by joining Cristina afield on her Earthwatch
expedition, Tracking Fire and Wolves through
the Canadian Rockies.
Follow Cristina Eisenberg on Twitter:
www.twitter.com/ceisenbec
www.twitter.com/ceisenbec
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