ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME JUNEAU, ALASKA STATE OF ALASKA William A. Egan, Governor DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME James W. Brooks, Commissioner DIVISION OF GAME Frank Jones, Director Donald McKnight, Research Chief WOLF REPORT by Robert O. Stephenson and Loyal J. Johnson Volume XI Project Progress Report Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project W-17-4, Jobs 14.3R, 14.4R, 14.5R, 14.6R and 14.7R Project W-17-5, Jobs 14.3R, 14.4R, 14.5R, 14.6R and 14.7R (1st half) Persons are free to use material in these reports for educational or informational purposes. However, since most reports treat only part of continuing studies, persons intending to use this material in scientific publications should obtain prior permission from the Department of Fish and Game. In all cases, tentative conclusions should be identified as such in quotation, and due credit would be appreciated. (Printed April 1973) JOB PROGRESS REPORT (RESEARCH) State: Cooperators: Robert O. Stephenson (Arctic) and Loyal Johnson (South­ central) Project Nos. : W-17-4 & Project Title: Big Game Investigations W-17-5 Job No. : l4.3R Job Title: C~aracteristics of Exploited Wolf Populations Job No. : 14.4R Job Title: The Spring and Summer Food Habits of Alaskan Wolves Job No. : l4.5R Job Title: The Condition and Charac­ teristics of Ungulate Prey Taken by Wolves Job No.: 14.6R Job Title: Characteristics of Wolf Den Sites Job No.: :l;.4.7R Job Title: RadiO Telemetry of Wolves in Northern Alaska Period Covered: July I, 1971 to December 31, 1972 SUMMARY Estimates of wolf population density were made in the northcentral Brooks Range in the spring and fall of 1971 and in the fall of 1972. Our data suggest that density increased from 1 wolf/124 miles2 in the spring of 1971 to 1 wolf/SO miles 2 in the fall of 1971. In the fall of 1972 density was es timated at lwolf/65 miles2 • This density falls in the mid-range of wolfdensities reported elsewhere in North America (Mech, 1970) . Data obtained during a helicopter reconnaissance in the spring and fall of 1972 suggested that a minimum of 15 active dens were located in an area of 30,000 miles 2• Assuming that the average spacing of known dens (25 miles apart) held for the entire area, a maximum of 35 active dens (1 active den per 857 miles 2) could have been present in the area. Observations in Southcentral Alaska indicate that the wolf popula­ tion in the Nelchina Basin has undergone a significant reduction from its 1971 numbers. The average weight of six 5-month-old pups taken in the fall of 1971 (from two litters) was 51.2 pounds compared to 61.4 pounds for nine pups taken in the fall of 1972 (from four litters). The pups from the 1972 i litters were taken from two weeks to one month earlier than those in 1971, yet showed markedly greater deposits of subcutaneous and visceral fat. This suggests that there was a greater availability of prey during the summer and fall of 1972 than there was the previous year. Resightings of tagged wolves, the 1971-72 hunter take of wolves around Anaktuvuk Pass, summer wolf observations, behavioral and morpholo­ gical characteristics of wolves used by the Nanamuit Eskimo in ascertain­ ing the sex and age of free-roaming wolves, and studies of wolf blood serum are discussed. Results of studies on the ungulate prey of wolves in Southcentral Alaska during this period indicate that, at least during a severe winter, prey species are taken in proportion to the sex and age composition of that population, with the exception of young of the year. There appeared to be no difference between the nutritional well-being of adult moose killed by wolves and those killed by accident or illegally. Criteria are provided by which it is usually possible to determine whether or not a prey animal was killed by wolves. Miscellaneous obser­ vations of wolf feeding habits are also presented. ii CONTENTS Summary , . i Background, 1 Objectives, 2 Procedures, 2 Find (Arctic Studies) Estinllite of Population Dens ,Spring 1971. 4 Estimate of Population Dans Lt v , Fall 197L 7 Harvest of Wolves, Anaktuvuk Pass, 1971-72 12 Estimate of PopuLat Lon Density, Fall 1972, 12 Occurrence of Active Dens, 1972. 17 Fall Condition of Pups ...... 21 Resight of Tagged Wolves . , 24 Summer \,;rolf Behavior Observations. 25 Release of Pen-reared Wolves . 25 Sex and - Specific Characters of Wolves, 28 Summer Characteristics Used in Diagnosing Sex. 29 Serology Studies . , . e • , 31 Recommendations (Arctic Studies) .. 32 Find (Southcentral Studies) . 32 Physical Condition of Ungulate Prey. 32 Miscellaneous Observations 43 Wolf Abundance . 0 •, 44 Food HabLt s , e e " • , 44 Utilization by Humans. 49 \;]01£ Coloration" , , . 49 Recommendations (Southcentral Studies)" 49 Acknowledgements. 51 Literature C:!.ted .. " , , , , 51 BACKGROUND The background for wolf (Cawis lupus) studies in Alaska has been discussed extensively in previous reports (cf: Rausch. 1966, 1967, 1969; St and Johnson, 1972) and will not be repeated here. The wolf is, by v:Lrtue of its intelligence, mobility, and low population density, one of the most difficult large mammals to study using classical methods. itative datB reflecting the long-term interrelationships between wolves and their ungulate prey, and the precise mechanisms through which wolf populations ad j us t to prey availability are only now being gathered, and it 'Nil1 be some time before we can understand the natural which wolf ations are controlled, and the effects that have on wolf population dynamics, Indications of a very low population of woIves on the North SLone in 70 ed the initiation of ion monitoring and other studies of wo~ves in this area. Since that time the population has increased to a. moderate level (about I wolf per 90 square miles) and in the next year asis in studies will be shifted to the Interior. 1 of the wo Lf possessed trlE' Nunanrlu t Eskimo es an \-vealth of det.afLed Lnfo'rmat.fon on t.h Ls specf.es 9 and efforts to rec.over more of t.h Ls Lnf'ormat Lon and to e Nunamiut 8S aides in future field invest ions will be continued. Pr asis of wolf studies in t.hcan t r al Alaaka 11£18 been directed t owa'rd wo Lf-eprey r e l.atLonsh OBJECTTVES To assess wo l f t i on levels and det ermfne t.he charact e r ts tics of ted wolf ccuu.LatLons in Arctic and Sout.hcerrtr a I Alaska. -s determine the food h ab i t s of \,;j'OJ.. vee the and summer in Arctic Southcentral Alaska. To determine th..~ LcaL condition and characte r ts Lcs of ate prey taken woLves in Arctic and So ut.hcerrtr a'l Alaska. To aract e rLze the of wolf den s I tes an Lc and SOUtl:1~ c entral Alas k a , PROCEDURES The ectIves of \~ork in the Arctic have bC'len modified somewhat the past year~ The s pecLf Lc effort to characterLz e den sites has b aen discontinued (as an isolated object dua the number of dens visited in 1970 ( enson and Johnson 1972)" These dens, as related in the 1972 report were located Nunamiut Eskimos now in Anakt uvuk Pass ~ In e of that work, and to Anaktuvuk, it that the Nunamiut c I r cums t.ances , had and of the woLf c This led e Nunamtu t 8 to learn their of the wolf 0 This was objective work involved on-·the··· t and ob s er'vat Lon, Aircraft v,\7e:re in the to locate. act.Lve of wolf kills ,>·,ere examfned and Lf t t Le further progress has been made Ln of th e s and aerial enumeration of area around Ariakt.uvuk Pass were lila-de in Carc~~ses tr~~n~rl and f a.lL and are LncLuded in thLs of wolves by Nunamiut wes:e collected and into the sex and age eompos tion of the wolf food habI t s Lnformat Lon , meas uremen t.udLes of sexual and meaaurement s of nutritional tatus. Seasonal estimates of the wolf population in the of An akt.uvuk Pass were made using track and wolf made by Stephenson and about 15 Nunamtut hunters during travels tvith anowmachLnes . vIoU 8i6"~.LUe,O made by r eLtab I.e pilots were also used. In the Sf) of 1972 known de.n sites were checked h t e r for actLvl and attempts "Jere made to locate newly occupied sites, This was done between 9 and 12 May , a period about one week earlier than desired since parturition usually occurs after 15 at this latitude. Howeve r , wolves, and pregnant females, often visit prospective dens late April and tend to remain progress LveIy closer to the chosen den as urition nears, Thus it is possible to obtain some idea of whether the den will be used by observing tracks, fresh diggings, and/or woLves • the effort to locate natal dens, ground-based observations near Anaktuvuk "Jere begun, The objectives of this work we r e to obtain observations of undisturbed wolves during the summer denning , and provide a common basis of observed wolf behavioral phenomena, Viewed both by an experienced Nunamf.u t hunter and by a trained biola t and thus further our un.ders of the behavioral and environmental parameters used by the Nunamiuthunter to evaluate and ct the activities of wolves, The approach consisted simply of at to find a wolf den wi.rh the method used by the Nunamiut during t he wo Lf bounty years ~ ob s e rvLng the activities of wolves at the den.