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Yellowstone Wolf 755M: A Breeding Male Without A Pack PAGE 4 How Do States Estimate Their Wolf Populations? PART II The Rocky Mountains and the Southwest PAGE 8 Wolf Reintroduction to Isle Royale? An interview with Dr. Rolf Peterson PAGE 12 Bring the Lone Wolf Lodge Sign with Clock Item: 1382 $39.99 Call of the Wild Home Members Save Logo Wear 10% Hooded Sweatshirt 4” Wolf Trinket Box Item: 314P Item: 1376 $12.99 $25.00 Summer of the Wolves Item: 4397 $7.99 To Order, visit: Dancer Wolf Plush Item: 7223 $13.50 Or call 3D Wolf Lenticular Puzzle 1-800-ELY-WOLF Item: 533 $12.95 Your purchases help support the mission of the International Wolf Center. VOLUME 27, NO. 1 THE QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER SPRING 2017 4 Larry Krumpelman 8 Courtesy Of US Fish & Wildlife Service 12 George Desort Yellowstone Wolf 755M: A How Do States Estimate Wolf Reintroduction to Breeding Male Without A Pack Their Wolf Populations? Isle Royale? An interview with Dr. Rolf Peterson In Yellowstone National Park, a male PART 2 The Rocky Mountains and the wolf wanders alone, his graying coat the Southwest The National Park Service has released result of advancing age and a rugged Effective wildlife management requires a proposal to reintroduce 20 to 30 life. Tutored in his youth by a strong, accurate estimates of animal populations. wolves into Isle Royale National Park in dominant female until he proved himself Wolves, however, are free-roaming and Lake Superior over the next three to five as a hunter and defender, 755M survived low-density, and they inhabit enormous, years. Here Dr. Rolf Peterson, who has pack rivalries and avoided hunters only wild spaces—all circumstances that make studied the Isle Royale wolf population to become, eventually, a wolf without them hard to count. This is the second since 1970, discusses that proposal with a pack—and a legend in Yellowstone’s in a two-part series in which Boyd and International Wolf, describing possible history. Thiel explain the methods used to collect long- and short-term effects of a reintroduction. by Betsy Downey population data on wolves. By Diane Boyd and Richard P. Thiel On the Cover Departments Gray wolf pup photographed near the vicinity of Gardner, Montana. 3 From the Executive Director Photo by Cobble-Art. Visit www.cobble-art.com for more images 14 Tracking the Pack of wolves, wildlife, landscapes and more. 18 Wolves of the World Did you know? 22 Personal Encounter One easy way for you to help us conserve 24 Wild Kids natural resources is to make sure we have your email address. Simply email your 26 A Look Beyond Dean Cluff address to [email protected]. 28 Book Review Wolf Family RendezvousApril 1-2, June 3-4, September 2-3 Let our pack meet yours! Add this fun, edu- cational package into your family’s vaca- tion plans. With plenty of family-focused Publications Director activities and outdoor fun, your family Carissa L. Winter will talk about this trip for years to come! Graphics Coordinator Spend quality time together learning about Carissa L. Winter the north woods home of the wolf through Consulting Editor hikes, crafts, games and observing our Kristine Chapin ambassador wolves. Technical Editor Dr. L. David Mech Graphic Designer Tricia Austin International Wolf (1089-683X) is published quarterly and copyrighted, 2017, by the International Wolf Center, 7100 Northland Circle N, Suite 205, Minneapolis, MN 55428, USA. email: [email protected]. All rights reserved. Publications agreement no. 1536338 Membership in the International Wolf Center includes a subscription to International Wolf magazine, free Adventure admission to the Center and discounts on programs and merchandise. 2017 Membership Levels: (in U.S. dollars) • Wolf Pup $25 (students • Wolf Associate $125 age 21 and under) • Wolf Tracker $250 Programs • Lone Wolf $45 • Wolf Sponsor $500 (individual) • Alpha Wolf $1,000 • Wolf Pack $75 (family at same address) Other Exciting Adventures! Outside the United States, please add an additional $15 to Wolf Pup, Lone Wolf, Wolf Pack and Wolf Geocache Adventures In Wolf Range Associate memberships. April 1-2, June 3-4, September 2-3 Please mail membership payment to: International Test your backcountry navigational skills while you discover the worldwide scavenger Wolf Center Administrative Office, Attn: Membership, 7100 Northland Circle N, Suite 205, Minneapolis, hunt pastime known as geocaching. We’ll prepare you for your wildlands adventure MN 55428, USA. Contact the membership department through compass and map training, how to use with questions: 763-560-7374 ext. 230 or a GPS unit, and much more! [email protected]. Wolves After Dark International Wolf is a forum for airing perspectives, science-based information and personal experiences June 30-July 1, August 11-12, October 20-21 about wolves. Articles and materials printed in Inter- national Wolf do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of Jr. Wolf Biologist Summer Camp the International Wolf Center or its board of directors. July 17-20, 2017 International Wolf welcomes submissions of personal adventures with wolves and wolf photo graphs. Prior to submission of other types of manu scripts, address Jr. Wolf Biologist Mini Camps queries to Carissa L. Winter, publications director. June 15-16 and August 7-8 PHOTOS: Unless otherwise noted, or obvious from the caption or article text, photos are of captive wolves. For complete information International Wolf is printed entirely with soy ink about our programs on FSC® certified visit paper. We encour- FSC logo here age you to recycle this magazine. Heidi Pinkerton 2 Spring 2017 www.wolf.org From the Executive Director INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER Would Privatizing Livestock Reimbursements BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nancy jo Tubbs Better Serve Wolves and Humans? Chair Dr. L. David Mech ’ve often wondered what it would be like if commercial insurance carriers handled Vice Chair depredation claims for livestock lost to wolves. Would issues surrounding wolf manage- Debbie Hinchcliffe Iment be less political? Could farmers and ranchers be better served, more quickly? Would Secretary private insurers be more effective in working with livestock producers to put preventative Paul B. Anderson measures in place to reduce the number of livestock lost to wolves? Treasurer In the United States, livestock depredation reimbursements are Cree Bradley handled differently in different states. Some states provide reimburse- Cindy Carvelli-Yu ments for livestock lost to wolves, while other states do not. Funding can Rick Duncan be sporadic or limited until appropriations run out, further elevating the Fitz Fitzgerald frustration that ranchers and farmers experience. In many cases, livestock Nancy Gibson producers don’t think the reimbursements are adequate. Judy Hunter Connie LaFond Much like insurance claims, depredation reimbursements are made Deborah Wold Lewis only after the losses have been investigated. USDA Wildlife Services Rob Schultz Aaron Morris typically investigates claims and makes the determination as to cause of Mike Phillips livestock deaths. If deaths are found to be attributable to wolves, Wildlife Services may begin Debbie Reynolds predator control—most often resulting in removal of wolves from the area. Jerry Sanders Governments are not well designed for providing these reimbursements, as they usually Paul Schurke require legislative appropriations of taxpayer funds. Unlike the commercial insurance industry, Dick Thiel government has no cash reserves on hand to pay claims—and some people argue that there Keira Thrasher is a conflict of interest if the government is responsible for both wolf population management EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR and paying claims for depredation. Claims funding can become political, further damaging Rob Schultz the public’s impression of wolves. Wolves are not the only species that depredates, but they are the predator that depredation MISSION payments are most commonly made for. States do not offer reimbursements if coyotes attack The International Wolf Center calves or if a bald eagle kills a chicken. These and other predators are just as active in kill- advances the survival ing farm animals, but rarely receive the public attention wolves get for doing the same thing. of wolf populations by If depredation reimbursements were privatized and handled by the commercial insurance teaching about wolves, their relationship to wildlands and industry, taxpayers would be relieved of these costs and livestock producers might be more the human role in their future. efficiently served when losses occur. As in any other industry, livestock business owners have inherent risks, and the insurance industry is best positioned to support the agricultural com- Educational services and informational resources munity, just as they do by providing crop insurance. Additionally, private insurers may provide are available at: farmers and ranchers more incentive to take steps in preventing depredation in the first place. 1396 Highway 169 What are your thoughts? Please send your opinions to [email protected] and we will Ely, MN 55731-8129, USA share them in a future issue of International Wolf. n 800-ELY-WOLF 218-365-4695 email address: [email protected] www.wolf.org Rob Shultz Executive Director International Wolf Spring 2017 3 Wolf 755 at Tower Junction, January 2013 Yellowstone Wolf 755M: A Breeding Male Without A Pack by BETSY DOWNEY Photos by DOUG MCLAUGHLIN n a cold November evening in 2012, baritone howls bounced off Amphitheater Mountain out- Oside Yellowstone National Park’s northeast entrance. Thrilled by the canid concert, our little group worried about the singers—Yellowstone’s Lamar Canyon pack. The wolves were at risk outside the park during hunting season. The next day we saw them safely in the park, but they soon returned to Wyoming, where Wolf 832F (called 06) and 754M fell to Wolves 755 and 754 from Soda Butte East, hunters’ bullets. Their deaths fractured the pack and turned March 2012 breeding male Wolf 755 into a lone wolf in search of a new pack.