Wyoming wolf update
by Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!
October 26, 2010
The U.S. Fish and WIldlife Service reports in its most current weekly update the following information:
MONITORING Wyoming: As of October 8, 2010, >28 wolf packs have denned throughout Wyoming (including all national parks) in 2010. We anticipate more breeding pairs will be identified this summer as additional den/rendezvous sites are located and reproduction is confirmed. Reproducing packs in Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park (YNP), and Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) include:
Wyoming (outside national parks): 17 BP = We estimate >31 packs in Wyoming (outside national parks) with 17 packs producing pups (Absaroka, Beartooth, Chagrin River, Dog Creek, East Fork, Elk Fork Creek, Greybull River, Green River, Hoodoo, Lava Mountain, Pacific Creek, Pinnacle Peak, South Fork, Sunlight, Owl Creek, Washakie, and Wiggins Fork). YNP: 9 BP = 13 documented packs with 9 packs producing pups (Agate, Black Tail, Canon, Cougar, Delta, Lamar, Madison, Molly, and Quadrant). GTNP: 2 BP = 2 documented packs with 1 pack producing pups (Phantom Springs), plus 1 pack that is suspected to have denned (Huckleberry).
CONTROL Wyoming: We continue to manage wolf population growth and wolf distribution to minimize chronic loss of livestock from wolves and promote wolf conservation by maintaining the Wyoming wolf population well above recovery objectives.
Park County: On 10/10/10, WY Wildlife Services confirmed that 1 calf had been killed by wolves from the Sunlight Pack on a grazing allotment west of Cody, WY. The Sunlight Pack consists of > 12 wolves and has recently been involved in another cattle depredation earlier this fall. The USFWS requested Wildlife Services to remove 3-4 wolves."
In the update the weeks prior, FWS also reported: Sublette County: On 10/6/10, WGFD confirmed that 1 calf had been killed by wolves on a grazing allotment in the Upper Green River drainage. Based on the necropsy performed on the dead calf, it appeared that the animal had been injured by wolves and later died from infection. Cattle are currently leaving the allotment for the grazing season."
Sublette County: On 9/20/10, WGFD confirmed that 1 ewe had been killed by wolves on a grazing allotment near Pinedale. Sheep have moved off the grazing allotment for the season and no further depredations have occurred."
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