Gray Wolf pack in Yellowstone National Park
Several predator species living within the borders of Yellowstone National Park–most notably the Northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf (Canus lupus)–are protected from hunting. But outside the borders of the park, “big game” predator hunting is sometimes allowed. This is the case for the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in Montana, lying just outside and to the north of Yellowstone (which is principally in Wyoming, but extends into Montana and Idaho). In early October of this year, the State of Montana opened its first wolf hunting season, with a maximum quota of 12 wolves. The legal hunt came in the wake of a May 2009 decision to remove the gray wolf from the federal endangered species list, following the wolf’s successful reintroduction to the park.
Wolf 527F
Wolf 527F was shot and killed in early October–one of nine wolves killed so far. In order for researchers like wildlife biologist Douglas Smith (‘Wolf Project’ lead scientist) to monitor the wolves’ movements and behavior, and gain reliable data, certain key animals (such as the “alpha” males and females, who dominate the wolf pack’s social hierarchy) must be “collared” with specially outfitted, radio transmitter collars. The collars are numbered and marked with an ‘F’ or ‘M’ to designate their sex. In the case of wolf 527F, a seven year old alpha female, her life history has been studied for the past five years. Five other members of her pack (known as the ‘Cottonwood Pack’) were also shot and killed. One of these other five was also a radio-collared female.
The deaths of these two, collared wolves in particular–by unnatural causes (termed “harvested” wolves)–pose a problem for the park’s five year old Wolf Project, which was funded in part by the National Science Foundation, and meant to be a unique, long-term study of these secretive animals. “Death by hunting” is not yet an official data category for the study. Much of the data collected so far on these wolves may not be usable any more since their unnatural deaths did not fit the life-cycle parameters of the project. Smith believes that the Cottonwood Pack has been effectively destroyed, and will need to collar at least two more females–a costly and time consuming endeavor–to compensate for these deaths and loss of data.
Other studies (including those studying Elk management) will also be affected by these kills; as an “apex” predator, wolves play a vital role in impacting the mating and migratory behavior of certain prey animals, such as elk (note: this works both ways-prey populations that experience declines also limit predator numbers).
The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) department, however, does not believe that their hunt has seriously jeopardized wolf research (citing the high “turnover” rate of wolf packs) and emphasizes that the hunt was designed to kill wolves that were preying on livestock, not park or wilderness wolves that restricted their hunting to the park or its outlying border areas.
However, the State has designated the gray wolf as a “species in need of management”. The incident highlights the problem of managing and protecting an animal that does not recognize park boundaries. Montana also allows quota hunts for other “big game” such as mountain lions and bears. As of this writing, the State of Montana will allow three more wolf “harvests” to meet this season’s quota of twelve wolves
Wolf 527F is known to have given birth to a litter of five pups this past May, and the fate of her off-spring remains unknown.
Scientists and conservationists are recommending establishment of a buffer zone around the park. This will most likely take a federal law or mandate since the park’s borders fall within three states.
A typical wolf pack numbers around eight members, but in the wild, these can range from as little as two to upwards of twenty or more. Members of the pack are usually the top male and female and their offspring. Maturing male wolves, and sometimes elder wolves, are often ejected from the group, but much of this depends upon the temperament of the wolf in question, and the availability of food.
photo source: National Park Service
Some information for this article came from a Science Magazine news report (‘Research Wolves of Yellowstone Killed in Hunt’, 29 Oct. 2009) by Virginia Morell
About Michael Ricciardi
It’s very simple…
Hunters should have to have to wear a transmitter when they hunt as part of the licence requirement.
Hunters can then be identified when they kill (either through bad eyesight or low IQ) collared wolves and can lose any/all hunting licences.
Similar to the Sea Shepard “interferance” being under fire – while Japanese and other governing bodies harbor the Japanese whalers in the name of science and discourage further interfence from outside or ounter-conscience entities, the same standard should be held high for the less-deadly form of science in a more “controlled” area and in more controllable fields…
I like the transmitter idea – alot!
How is wolf research jeopardized? Isn’t it important for us to know how the MT and ID hunting seasons have impacts the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem wolf population? Isn’t this important information to know?
The Data that is jeopardized is the previously collected data that fell within the previous study’s parameters and “metrics”–which did not include “death by hunting” or “harvesting”. The researchers will now indeed have to include this new category of death as part of the wolf’s life cycle in future studies.
In general, this is a rarity, in terms of manner of death for wolves (in modern times, and for park wolves). So, statistically, it has to be either eliminated (or “trivialized” somehow) and/or controlled for in future studies. But twelve wolf kills per season, I suspect, is a big enough number (compared ot the total population in the park) to make statistical elimination difficult, and to throw life cycle study data “out of whack”.
Yes, human interference with the wolf has put the animal at jeopardy. Gray wolves were imported from Canada with little or no monitoring, thus over populating the Western States. Wild life managers, ranchers, hunters etc… brought attention to these predators, as they exploded in population and became a detriment to prey wild life. They have virtually destroyed the elk and moose population in Yellowstone, chasing moose until their unborn are no longer still born, but absorbed into their bodies due to the stress wolves have put on this prey. Which by the way takes a large pack of animals to bring down a moose. Wow, must feel great to be eaten alive!
If you want to know how wildlife is doing, go to the field, if the field is managed properly the office is doing it’s job. Quit beating up responsible hunters because you have no idea what you are talking about (above), hunters provide a wealth of knowledge and billions in contributions to wildlife management including food drops, disease research, habitat, community involvement, tax dollars, and education. Most but not all funds come from the simple purchase of a hunting license. Want to help? Buy a license whether you use it or not! Non-hunting and hunter bashing groups do more damage to wildlife management than good. It’s a fact good wildlife management includes clean harvest to control population and competition for simple things like food. One tough winter followed by freak spring storms kill more animals than any group of hunters, add to this the pressure of unchecked wolf populations and you have a recipe for disaster. I haven’t even got started on all you who are so willing to push your agenda that you are willing to jeopardize yours and others rights as a people. Get from behind your computer, get off the couch, get outdoors, and by the way take a kid with you, our youth need good exercise and positive influence.
Duke is right on with his comments, I agree totally. Wolves must be managed because they do not understand how to self-manage. Controlled hunting is the only way for wolves to successfully fit into the modern ecosystems of the lower 48 states.