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Wolves of the World

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Wyoming at a glance

Gray wolves once existed throughout Wyoming; however, persecution and, eventually, poisoning began shortly after European settlement. Wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1995 and 1996 in an effort to facilitate gray wolf recovery in the Northern Rockies states, and have since thrived and expanded within and outside of the park. Wolves continue to be controversial, and public attitudes vary.

According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the most recent official minimum population estimate shows that the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf population contains more than 1,774 adult wolves and more than 109 breeding pairs. Most of the suitable habitat across the Northern Rocky Mountain region is now occupied and likely at, or above, long-term carrying capacity. This population has exceeded recovery goals for 10 consecutive years.

Wolf range is approximately 20 percent of the map shown, with most wolves occupying the northwestern portion of the state. Range lines are not depicted. Main prey for wolves there are elk, moose, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and beaver.

Wyoming officials have revised the state's wolf management plan and the Fish & Wildlife Service recently announced a final rule on delisting.

Species Information

Species
Common Name: gray wolf, northwestern wolf, haqihana (Arapaho)
Latin Name: Canis lupus

Location: northwestern portion of Wyoming

Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
Number of wolves: 220-230 (2012)
Population trend: Increasing
Legal status: State managed

Human Relationships

History

Gray Wolf Timeline

Recovery & Management

Wolf Conservation and Management in Wyoming

Wolf Hunting and Trapping Regulations and harvest quota updates

Wolf Management Plan for the Wind River Reservation

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's News, Information and Recovery Status Reports for the Northern Rockies
Scientific Article: Mech, L. David, Meier, Thomas J., and Burch, John W. 1991. Denali Park Wolf Studies: Implications for Yellowstone. Transcript of the 56th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. 1:86-90.

Depredation

Ecology

Biology

Habitat

Prey & Predation

Barber, S. M., Mech, L. D., and White, P. J. 2005. Yellowstone elk calf mortality following wolf restorations: Bears remain top summer predators. Yellowstone Science 133:37-44.
Cook, R. C., Cook, J. G., & Mech, L. 2004. Nutritional Condition of Northern Yellowstone Elk. Journal of Mammalogy, 85(4), 714-722.