Sunday, June 17, 2007

Viewing Yellowstone's Wolves

People are fascinated by wolves. At the science fiction conventions we go to there are almost always wolf photos and artwork. i suspect there is something primitive or primeval that triggers an instinctive response. Since the wolves were reintroduced into the Yellowstone system, people want to see them in the wild. And wolves are naturally skittish of humans, so it is not always easy to see them.

We visited the park just a few years after they had been reintroduced. We knew Lamar Valley was the best place to see them. Being there back in 1998 gave us the opportunity to observe the wolves at the same time and place as the researchers who had the telemetry equipment. They could tell us not only roughly where the wolves were, but which ones were out there. My favorite memory from that trip was getting up way before dawn, making the long drive over to get to Lamar and watching the pack during the morning reunion. How joyful and playful! We even got to hear them howl!

Today, the wolves have dispersed through the park. While the number of wolves in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem is over 300, the number in the park is only 136 down from a high in the 170's. There have been two years where disease has reduced the numbers. Plus the number of packs has grown and wolves kill each other. The Druid pack has moved high up the Lamar Valley, away from the road. So . . . it is not as easy to see them.

I had seen most of the other major wildlife and I wanted to enjoy the wolves again, so we moved the RV over to the Pebble Creek Campground in the northeast corner of the park. What a wonderful campgroud-I could see Pebble Creek right out my front window! Truly my kind of place to camp!

The first morning there I was out and on the road around 6:00 A.M. Sure enough, there were the wolf watchers on the hill. I scampered (yes, scampered) up the rocky slope. They had radio communication. Yes, there were wolves in the area. I scanned and I believe I caught sight of them. I tried to get them in her scope and I know I saw them, but she didn't. But soon they were in her scope and she let me look. However, the viewing was better up the road. The group quickly went down to their cars and headed off. I followed, but I don't scamper down slopes.

At the top of this other hill (nicknamed Exclosure because it is next to an area that has been fenced off to keep the deer and elk from damaging the aspens as part of a scientific study) we got to watch the Druid pack for about an hour. They ran along the high ground above the river. They ran through the buffalo herd. At one point the buffalo (bison) presented a united front making a semi-circle facing the wolves with the calves behind. There was definitely a reaction with both the buffalo and the pronghorn antelope to the wolves presence. But they were unsuccessful in hunting while we were watching.

The people I was with knew which wolves we were seeing. Black wolf 302 has a reputation for being lazy. He certainly spent time laying around while the other wolves were out trying to get breakfast. Female wolf 569 is the alpha female. She seemed to be leading the way most of the time. I believe that wolf 570 was also there as well as at least 2 uncollared yearlings.

The next two mornings, the people out with their scopes were not the knowledgeable ones with the radio contacts. So I didn't see the wolves. Evenings were the same. People had scopes, but they tended to be looking at bears.

I got up the last morning, figuring that since I had seen the wolves with such a nice sighting, it would be OK if I didn't see them again. Once again the hillsides were empty. But I checked with a young couple who had a scope, "What are you seeing?" I was ecstatic when the answer was 4 wolves laying down. They let me look through the scope. Yes, this was the Druid pack again. I quickly went back to Exclusion and up the hill so I could get a good luck. Turns out there were 5 of the 6 I had seen just a few days earlier. And they were resting this morning - all laying out in the sun together. The first bison group that went by did not interest them, but when the next group went near the wolves, the bison sentries went over and forced the wolves to get up. The bison started trying to chase the wolves out of the area. The wolves quickly settled back down after that herd passed on. One got up and headed downstream. In a little while they all got up stretched, greeted each other. I was overjoyed to hear them howl (and it was ever so faint because they were so far away.) They were calling the other wolf back and before too long here he came. And then shortly they all disappeared into the forest just about where they had the other morning. The knowledgeable wolf people had said this used to be the summer den. Maybe it will be the summer den again this year.

The serious wolf watchers this year seemed to be stationed along the north side of Mount Washburn. With their powerful scopes they can see one of the dens far on one of the distant hills. You can also see wolves along Swan Lake flats and in Hayden Valley.

Since this was my last day, I was so very grateful to get to see the wolves one last time.

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