Since the completion of this page in April 2000 the 6 wolves that were still alive have all sadly passed away, as have the last 3 pups from the famous 1995 litter.
This page will now stand as a "Memorial" to those wolves, as well as to ALL the wolves who were part of the 1995 and 1996 reintroductions. Each and every one of those wolves played a key role in the huge success of the wolf reintroduction program and they will always be remembered for their extraordinary contributions.
I want to pay a very special tribute to one wolf in particular, the late Alpha male #21.
#21M was one of the famous 8 pups born in April 1995 to the now late wolf #9F and the late, great #10M.
#21M went on to become the Alpha male of Yellowstone's most visible, successful, and beloved wolfpack, the Druid Peak Pack. And #21 was, without doubt, Yellowstone's most famous and beloved son.
#21's glorious reign lasted from late 1997 until June 2004. May his memory and spirit live on forever! Rest in peace sweet prince.
This month is a time for both
celebration and sorrow as we reflect on
three very significant anniversaries in
the history of the Wolf Reintroduction
program. This page is dedicated in honor of these bittersweet events.
The greatest of these anniversaries marks 5 years since the first group of wolves captured in Hinton Alberta, Canada were set free from their acclimation pens deep in Yellowstone National Park. Of the original 14 wolves 6 are still alive. Interestingly, all 3 of the original Alpha females are among the 6 surviving yellowstone wolves.
Below is a brief bio on the 6 surviving wolves.
Female #9 was the original
Alpha of the Rose Creek pack. She arrived in Yellowstone with her sub-adult daughter, #7F as part of the 1995 wolf reintroduction.
Just one month after being released from the Rose Creek acclimation pen, #9 gave birth to a litter of eight pups on the same day that her mate, Alpha male #10, was brutally and senselessly murdered.
In October 1999 #9 was displaced as Alpha of the Rose Creek pack by female #18, one of her two surviving daughters from her 1995 litter.
UPDATE - 5/3/2000
#9 appears to have found herself a new pack and is believed to have denned. Because she is outside of Yellowstone's ecosystem, she is now being monitored by the Wyoming U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Please see Wolf Updates for all further news on female #9
Female #5 is the original Alpha of the Crystal Creek pack (now called "Mollies" Pack). #5 was a beautiful pale grayish-white wolf with an inquisitive personality when she arrived in Yellowstone as part of the 1995 wolf reintroduction with her full pack intact.
But #5 has had more than her share of hard luck over the past five years. She lost not one, but two mates within her first three years in Yellowstone. Her first mate was killed in 1996 by the rival Druid Peak Pack and #5 was also badly injured at that time. And less than two years later, in early 1998, her second mate died of natural causes.
Female #5's pack remains difficult to monitor due to its remote location in the
Pelican Valley. This has been the pack's home range since being driven out of the Lamar Valley in 1996 by the then newly introduced Druid Peak pack.
UPDATE - 8/2/2000
An aging Alpha female #5 has left the Crystal Creek pack and is now a lone wolf. Because of her age and the fact that she is all alone, the length of her survival now hinges on her ability to find prey and to escape death by other wolves. As cruel a fate as this is, unfortunately it is one that many aging and displaced alphas must face.
Please see Wolf Updates for all further news on the Crystal Creek Pack.
Female #14 is the original
Alpha of the Soda Butte pack (now called "Yellowstone Delta" pack) which was part of the 1995 wolf reintroduction. She is the sole surviving member of her original pack.
After being mateless for the past three years #14F has finally found herself a new mate. Her original mate, known as "Old Blue," died of natural causes, presumably from old age, in March of 1997.
#14's new mate is believed to be either Male #104, who is originally
from the Druid Peak pack, or Male #120
who dispersed from the Crystal Creek
pack this past year. Everyone is hopeful that #14 will soon give birth to her first litter in three years.
MAJOR UPDATE - 4/24/2000
Unbelievably, the body of Alpha female #14 was discovered this past week. It appears that she was killed by a moose. #14 was believed to have been pregnant and would likely have given birth this week.
This is such a sad turn of events. This tragedy put an end to the high expectations that everyone had for the future of the Soda Butte Pack. The death of #14 might very well signal the end of this original pack.
Please see Wolf Updates for any further news on the Soda Butte Pack.
Female #7 was a sub-adult in 1995 when she arrived in Yellowstone with her mother, #9F. She was originally part of the 3 member Rose Creek pack until her dispersal shortly after being released from the Rose Creek acclimation pen.
After wandering alone for several months she met and mated with male #2, who was a yearling from the Crystal Creek pack. Together they formed the first natural wolf pack in Yellowstone National Park in over 60 years. Their pack was named the Leopold pack in honor of the great biologist and conservationist, Aldo Leopold.
Male #2 was an original member of the 1995 Crystal Creek pack. He is the offspring of female #5 and the brother of male #8, Alpha of the Rose Creek pack.
#2M was the shyest member of his pack and was often seen wandering alone after his release from the Crystal Creek acclimation pen. #2M finally dispersed for good several months later and he soon found female #7 and the two paired for life. Together they just produced their 5th litter!
MAJOR UPDATE - 2003
Tragically, Alpha female #7 and Alpha male #2 were both killed by rival wolfpacks in separate attacks in May 2002 and early winter 2003.
Female #7 and male #2 were the last two surviving wolves from the 1995 reintroduction.
Please see Wolf Update 26 for more details on the deaths of these 2 wolves.
The last surviving wolf of the 1995 reintroduction is Male #8, who has been the Alpha of the Rose Creek pack since October
1995. #8M became the Alpha of this pack six months after the murder of Wolf #10.
Alpha male #8 is the offspring of female #5 and the brother of Alpha
male #2. He was an original member of the Crystal Creek pack until his dispersal in the fall of 1995.
MAJOR UPDATE - 7/6/2000
Tragically, Alpha male #8 was found dead on July 4th. His body was discovered by biologist Doug Smith pinned under a log in the Slough Creek area of Yellowstone. The death of Alpha male #8 has come as a real shock to everyone. #8 was one of the true heroes of the 1995 wolf reintroduction and he will be deeply missed by all.
For the complete story on the death of Alpha male #8 please see Wolf Update #5
A Day For Remembrance
The 24th of April sadly marks the 5
year anniversary of the murder of
Wolf #10. Words simply cannot express how deeply I miss this wolf. But though his time with us was very brief, I thank him for allowing us the opportunity to know him and to appreciate all that made him a truly unique and special individual.
I believe that the spirit of Wolf #10 will live forever, not only through his descendents, but also through, and because of, the love and admiration of so many people. Wolf #10 will never be forgotten.
This month also marks the 5 year anniversary of the birth of the first wolf pups to be born
in Yellowstone National Park in almost
70 years! The three known surviving wolves from that first litter will be 5 years old on April 24th.
Female #16 has been the Alpha of the Sheep Mountain pack since 1997. Originally her pack was known as the "Chief Joseph ll pack", but it was officially renamed in early 1999 after it was determined that there was no longer a connection between #16 and #34, the Alpha male of the Chief Joseph pack.
UPDATE - 4/24/2000
Female #16 has not been observed denning and no litter is expected this year. Apparently #16 has not found a new mate to replace her previous one, who was killed by Wildlife Services in October '99 due to several livestock depredations.
Poor #16's troubles seem endless. She has been through so much since her birth and subsequent dispersal from the Rose Creek pack.
And just when things seemed to be working out for her, she lost both her mate and 5 of her offspring in last fall's disturbing control action of her pack.
For more on the life and hardships of female #16 see Part 3 and Update #1
*Please see Update #3 and Update #4 for the latest developments on female #16 and the Sheep Mountain pack.
MAJOR UPDATE - 7/22/2000
I Am Deeply Saddened To Have To Report The Death Of Alpha Female #16. She Died In Captivity On Ted Turner's Ranch on July 19th. Please See Wolf Update #7 For The Complete Story.
Now there are only 2 known surviving offspring left from the famous 1995 litter. Although Male #23 may still be out there somewhere, he has not been seen since 1997.
Female #18 is now the Alpha of the Rose Creek pack. Before displacing her mother, #9F in Oct.'99, she had been the pack's Beta female.
#18 has already given birth to 3 litters, all believed to have been sired by the pack's Alpha male, #8M. A new litter is anticipated any day now. This litter will be the late Alpha male #8's final legacy.
UPDATE - 2004
After not being seen with her pack for an uncertain amount of time, female #18F is presumed to have died sometime between the summer of 2002 and the winter of 2003.
Male #21 is the Alpha of the
Druid Peak pack. He became the Alpha of
this pack in late December 1997 after
the pack's Alpha and Beta males were both murdered. The Druid Peak pack, led by proud and bold #21 is the most observed wolf pack in all of Yellowstone and possibly in all of the world!
UPDATE - 5/16/2000
A lot has happened in the Druid Peak pack recently. It appears that Alpha male #21 has fathered at least 3 litters in this pack, and possibly 4!
Alpha female #40 and her sister Beta female #42 have both given birth, as have females #103 and/or #106. But the body of Alpha female #40 was discovered severely injured on the morning of May 8th and despite attempts to save her, she died that day.
Female #40 was an original member of the Druid Peak pack. She arrived in Yellowstone as part of the 1996 wolf reintroduction along with her mother, the famous "White Wolf," who was illegally shot in 1998, and her 2 sisters, #41 and #42.
#40 was known for her highly severe and dominate behavior, especially toward her sister #42, as well as other female pack members, and it appears that she was killed by her own pack.
For more on the death of Alpha female #40 Click Here
UPDATE - 7/30/2000
It has recently been confirmed that a total of 21 pups have been observed with the Druid Peak pack! This number includes deceased Alpha female #40's pups, estimated at 10, plus pups born to female #42 and female #106.
I'm told that Alpha male #21 and female #42 are getting along very well together. Former Beta female #42 is the new Alpha female of the Druid Peak pack.
For all the latest news on Alpha male #21 and the Druid Peak Pack please see Wolf Updates
MAJOR UPDATE - 7/2004
I am deeply, deeply saddened to report that Alpha male #21 disappeared from his pack in June 2004 and his body was discovered a few weeks later. The cause of #21's death could not be determined but it is likely that he was either mortally wounded during a hunt or was killed by other wolves.
(The heartbreaking death of #21 is like a dark cloud cast upon the conclusion of this page)
