Update on Sheep Mountain Wolves
And Beartooth Pair (#9 and Mate)

This news on the 3 surviving male wolves from the Sheep Mountain pack comes from the latest Yellowstone Gray Wolf Recovery Report.

Monitoring indicates that the 3 Sheep Mountain wolves are still in the old Sheep Mountain territory but have split into 2 groups and that both will likely be breeding pairs this spring. One group of 3 uses an area west of Highway 89 and have the two shyest "conditioned" wolves and a dispersing female from the Rose Creek pack.

The other bolder "conditioned" wolf hangs out with 4-5 wolves near Dome Mtn. These wolves were seldom seen by the hundreds of hunters in this area which suggests they are wary of people (a good thing). There have been no suspected problems with livestock.

I was informed that both packs will likely be given new names if they remain intact and have at least two pups each that survive the summer and I am hopeful that the surviving sons of deceased Alpha female #16 will live to successfully breed and carry on the legacies of both their mother and their grandfather, the great Alpha male #10, for many generations to come.

Unfortunately I have some rather sad news to report concerning one of the two Sheep Mt. brothers who had joined up with female #155, a disperser from the Rose Creek pack. The body of 2 year old Male #189 was found dead on March 2. At this time the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating the cause of his death. I have no further information regarding this latest wolf fatality, but I sincerely hope that his death was not a result of foul play.

The three wolves were using territory north of the Park in the mountains west of Paradise Valley (Gallatin Range). As soon as I learn more about the untimely death of Male #189 I will post an update.

Apparently wolf #189 is believed to have died as a result of drowning. There is some speculation that #189 may have been chased by the Chief Joseph pack, and in an attempt to escape, either jumped or fell into the water during an unusually high current.

I find the death of this wolf just so heartbreaking. After all that this young wolf went through during his short life, to die in such a manner just makes it all the more tragic. The misfortunes of poor Alpha female #16 seem to have been passed down to her offspring.

After a lengthy phone conversation with Wyoming USFWS biologist Mike Jimenez this past week I have a bit of news to report concerning female #9 and her mate (the Beartooth Pair).

During one of his recent fly-overs Mike was lucky enough to spot #9 and her mate asleep on a grassy knoll. The two wolves are rarely seen by anyone due to their remote and inaccessible location and Mike has flown the area endless times without seeing any sign of the pair.

Mike also remarked that female #9's collar is very old and its signal has become barely audible. The USFWS had originally planned on trying to capture #9 so she could be fitted with a new collar but they have since changed their minds about doing this. Mike feels that because of her age (at least 9 yrs.and possibly as old as 11) the stress associated with the darting and capturing procedures might be too much for her.

So instead they are going to attempt to capture and collar her mate. No one has any idea who #9's faithful companion is, or where he originated, but if he can be successfully captured DNA testing will be performed to try to determine the large gray male's origin. Mike also pointed out that the pair may not produce any more litters due to the uncertain age of female #9. She may just be too old to have any more pups. Biologists will still attempt to monitor her movements come denning season though. If the signal on #9's collar ceases to function, hopefully getting a collar on her mate will make tracking her movements easier.

I will be receiving periodic updates on the pair from Mike Jimenez and others and I'll be sure to post any new developments I learn of!