Wolves
Wolves are a highlight for wildlife-watchers, both local and visitors, when in Jackson Hole. Although it is more common to see them in Yellowstone National Park, there are also occassional opportunities to view and hear them in Grand Teton NP (just outside of Jackson) as well. A few quick facts about the wolf:
- Color: usually a grizzled gray, but can range in color from tan to pure white or solid black
- Height: 26 - 38 inches at the shoulder
- Length: 40 - 58 inches (excluding the tail)
- Weight: can range from 40 - 175 pounds, the males are 15% to 20% larger than females
- Home Range Size: 40 - 1500 square miles
- Life Expectancy: 10 years
In March 1995, 14 wolves from Canada were brought to Yellowstone National Park for release. The reintroduction of wolves to the park was highly debated for many years, but after careful planning they were released into the park.
Wolves exhibit social, hierarchial, competitive, and territorial tendencies. They generally travel in packs with eight members or less. However, in the summer of 1998 one pack of wolves in Yellowstone had grown to 16 members.
Each pack consists of an "alpha" or dominant pair, their most recent offspring, and other young wolves. The social order of the pack is the alpha pair, being the most important members, the beta wolf, the second most important, down to the omega wolf, being the least important member of the pack.
The social order of the wolves can change due to sexual maturity, old age, illness, or death. If one of the alpha pair dies, the beta wolf will take its place.
Within the pack, only the alpha pair will mate, usually around 2 years of age. Wolf litters average around six pups. However, only about half of the litter survives, making the pups the most important priority of the pack.
Wolves are able to survive anywhere there is adequate food and human tolerance. Wolves usually feed on elk, deer, and moose. However, in 1997 the Crystal Creek pack was responsible for the death of a bison.
Wolves usually rest during the day and hunt in the early morning or in the evening.
While in Yellowstone, you may see wolves, and there's an even greater chance of hearing them. The howl of the wolf can be frightening, but it is their main use of communication. Wolves also yip, squeal, growl, chirp, and bark to express themselves. The howl of a wolf can be used to:
- notify other pack members or other packs of their location
- attract potential mates
- rally the pack before a hunt
- announce the presence of an intruder
- express distress
Generally, the howl is a long distance use of communication. Where as scent marking is a short range communicator, usually used to mark the territory occupied by a pack.
Since the reintroduction in 1995 the wolf population has grown from 14 to 287 wolves as counted in March of 2003.
