Restoring the gray wolf to Idaho: A progress report 1995-1999

Curtis Mack, Isaac Babcock, Keith Lawrence, Nez Perce Tribe, PO Box 365, Lapwai, ID 83540, USA

As part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's efforts to restore gray wolves (Canis lupus) to the northern Rocky Mountains of the western United States, 35 gray wolves were translocated from Canada to central Idaho. Fifteen wolves were translocated to Idaho during January of 1995 and an additional 20 wolves were translocated during January 1996. The overall goal of the Idaho Recovery Program is to restore a self-sustaining population of gray wolves to Idaho by maintaining a minimum of 10 breeding wolf packs for three consecutive years, thereby contributing to the delisting of wolves throughout the northern Rocky Mountains. The Idaho Recovery Program adopts an innovative partnership approach among the Nez Perce Tribe, federal and state agencies, regional universities, local governments, private organizations, and individuals. These groups work collaboratively to implement four key program elements: monitoring, management and control; information; education, and outreach; and research to balance the biological needs of wolves and the social concerns of Idahoans.

Translocated wolves first reproduced in 1996 when three packs produced 11 pups; the first documented wolves born in the Idaho wilds for over 60 years. Since 1996, the wolf population has grown steadily each year increasing in both numbers of established packs and pups produced. During the summer of 1998, Idaho attained an important recovery benchmark of 10 breeding wolf packs, just three years after the original translocations. Currently, there are an estimated 165-175 wolves in 12 known wolf packs in the wilds of Idaho.

Although from a biological standpoint, wolves are recovering faster than anticipated, their foothold in Idaho is not guaranteed. Long-term persistence of wolves in Idaho will depend less on biological considerations and more on social values and the level of tolerance afforded wolves by Idahoans, particularly those in rural communities whose lives are most affected by wolves. The citizens of Idaho will ultimately determine the number of wolves allowed to persist in the state. To address social concerns and build tolerance for wolves, the Recovery Program has brought together proponents and opponents of wolf recovery to find creative solutions to reduce wolf-human conflicts. This collaborative approach builds trust, ownership, credibility and acceptance at the local level. Ongoing collaborative efforts include studies of wolf predation rates on livestock and big game populations. Results of these studies will provide a better understanding of the potential affects wolves have on livestock and outfitter operations, and hunting opportunity; generate increased tolerance for wolves; and help develop effective future wolf management plans that will provide for a viable wolf population without undue economic hardship for livestock producers and outfitters and guides.

Ultimately, the recovery of wolves in Idaho will be determined by the geographic distribution of wolves in relation to livestock, the ability of the Recovery Program to continue to be responsive to the concerns of livestock producers and outfitters, and the tolerance afforded wolves by the citizens of Idaho.