Wyoming wolf population up
by Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!
March 16, 2011
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that the Wyoming wolf population (outside Yellowstone National park) increased in 2010 approximately 10 percent from >224 wolves in 2009 to >246 wolves in 2010. Average increase from 2002-2010 has been approximately 17 percent per year.
A total of >19 packs produced >77 pups in Wyoming, outside Yellowstone National park and met the FWS breeding pair definition (>1 adult male and >1 adult female in a pack producing >2 pups that survived through 31 December of that year). Mean litter size was 4.1 pups per litter and ranged from 2-5 pups.
In 2010, 58 wolves (19% of the population) were known to have died in Wyoming (outside Yellowstone National Park). Causes of mortality included: agency control = 40 (69% of all documented mortality); unknown or under law enforcement investigation = 12 (21%); natural = 2 (3%), and other = 4 (7%).
Overall, FWS reports that the wolf population in Wyoming, including Yellowstone, increased statewide by approximately 7 percent, making 2010 the ninth consecutive year that Wyoming has exceeded the numerical, distributional, and temporal recovery goals established by FWS. At least 343 wolves in >45 packs (including >27 breeding pairs) inhabited WY, including Yellowstone National Park.
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