SPECIES ASSESSMENT FOR GRAY WOLF (CANIS LUPUS ) IN WYOMING prepared by 1 2 CARRON MEANEY , AND DR. GARY P. BEAUVAIS 1 Meaney & Company, 777 Juniper Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80304; 303-444-2299; [email protected] 2 Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Dept. 3381, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, 307-766-3023; [email protected] prepared for United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office Cheyenne, Wyoming September 2004 Meaney and Beauvais – Canis lupus September 2004 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 3 NATURAL HISTORY ........................................................................................................................... 3 Morphological Description ...................................................................................................... 3 Taxonomy and Distribution ..................................................................................................... 4 Taxonomy .......................................................................................................................................4 Distribution .....................................................................................................................................4 Habitat Requirements............................................................................................................. 6 General ............................................................................................................................................6 Denning...........................................................................................................................................8 Movement and Activity Patterns ............................................................................................. 9 Dispersal..........................................................................................................................................9 Migration.......................................................................................................................................10 Daily Activity................................................................................................................................10 Reproduction and Survivorship..............................................................................................11 Breeding and Social Behavior.......................................................................................................11 Breeding Phenology ......................................................................................................................11 Breeding Habitat ...........................................................................................................................12 Fecundity and Survivorship ..........................................................................................................12 Population Demographics......................................................................................................13 Limiting Factors............................................................................................................................13 Metapopulation Dynamics ............................................................................................................13 Genetic Concerns ..........................................................................................................................14 Food Habits...........................................................................................................................15 Food items.....................................................................................................................................15 Foraging Strategy..........................................................................................................................16 Foraging Variation ........................................................................................................................16 Community Ecology...............................................................................................................16 CONSERVATION .............................................................................................................................. 18 Conservation Status ..............................................................................................................18 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service......................................................................................................18 USDI Bureau of Land Management..............................................................................................21 USDA Forest Service....................................................................................................................21 State Wildlife Agencies.................................................................................................................21 State Natural Heritage Programs...................................................................................................22 Biological Conservation Issues..............................................................................................23 Abundance.....................................................................................................................................24 Trends............................................................................................................................................25 Abundance Trends..................................................................................................................25 Population Extent and Connectivity Trends ...........................................................................26 Habitat Trends ........................................................................................................................26 Range Context...............................................................................................................................27 Extrinsic Threats and Reasons for Decline ...................................................................................27 Anthropogenic Impacts...........................................................................................................27 Invasive Species......................................................................................................................27 Genetic Factors .......................................................................................................................27 Natural Predation....................................................................................................................28 Page 1 of 42 Meaney and Beauvais – Canis lupus September 2004 Intrinsic Vulnerability ...................................................................................................................28 Habitat Specificity and Fidelity..............................................................................................28 Territoriality and Area Requirements.....................................................................................28 Susceptibility to Disease and Parasites...................................................................................29 Dispersal Capability................................................................................................................29 Reproductive Capacity............................................................................................................29 Sensitivity to Disturbance.......................................................................................................30 Protected Areas .............................................................................................................................30 Population Viability Analyses (PVAs)..........................................................................................30 CONSERVATION ACTION ................................................................................................................ 31 Existing or Future Conservation Plans...................................................................................31 Conservation Elements..................................................................................................................31 Inventory and Monitoring .............................................................................................................31 Habitat Preservation and Restoration............................................................................................31 Augmentation and Reintroduction ................................................................................................31 INFORMATION NEEDS ..................................................................................................................... 32 Rangewide Needs .................................................................................................................32 Wyoming Needs ....................................................................................................................32 TABLES AND FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... 33 Table 1. Wolf packs and population data for Wyoming, 2002 .....................................................33