Gray Wolf Restoration in the Northwestern United States

Ed Bangs

Wolf Recovery Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 100 N. Park, #320, Helena, MT 59601; (406) 449-5225 x204;

(fax) (406) 449-5339; ed_bangs@fws.gov; http://midwest.fws.gov/wolf; http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/wolf/annualrpt00/

Joe Fontaine

Assistant Wolf Recovery Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 100 N. Park, #320, Helena, MT 59601; (406) 449-

5225 x206; joe_fontaine@fws.gov

Mike Jimenez

Project Leader Wyoming Wolf Recovery, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 190 N. 1st St., Lander, WY 82520; (307) 332-

7789; mike_jimenez@fws.gov

Tom Meier

Wolf Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, c/o MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 490 N. Meridian Rd., Kalispell, MT 59901;

(406) 751-4581; tom_meier@fws.gov

Carter Niemeyer

Project leader for Idaho Wolf Recovery, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1387 S. Vinnel Way, Rm 368, Boise, ID 83709;

(208) 378-5639; carter_niemeyer@fws.gov

Doug Smith

Project Leader, Yellowstone Wolf Recovery, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park,

WY 82190; (307) 344-2242; doug_smith@nps.gov

Kerry Murphy

Biologist, Yellowstone Wolf Recovery, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY

82190; (307) 344-2242; kerry_murphy@nps.gov

Deb Guernsey

Program Assistant, Yellowstone Wolf Recovery, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National

Park, WY 82190; (307) 344-2242; deb_guernsey@nps.gov

Larry Handegard

Montana State Director, Wildlife Services, USDA/APHIS, P.O. Box 1938, Billings, MT 59103; (406) 657-6464;

larry.l.handegard@aphis.usda.gov

Mark Collinge

Idaho State Director, Wildlife Services, 9134 W. Blackeagle Dr., Boise, ID 83709; (208) 378-5077,

mark.d.collinge@aphis.usda.gov

Rod Krischke

Wyoming State Director, Wildlife Services, P.O. Box 59, Casper, WY 82602; (307) 261-5336;

rod.f.krischke@aphis.usda.gov

John Shivik

Leader Predation Management Project, WS National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Ave, Fort Collins, CO

80521; (970) 266-6088; john.shivik@aphis.usda.gov

Curt Mack

Project Leader Nez Perce Tribe Wolf Recovery, 1000 Mission, McCall, ID 83638; (208) 634-1061; cmack@nezperce.org

Issac Babcock

Nez Perce Wolf Biologist, 1000 Mission, McCall, ID 83638; (208) 634-1061; ibabcock.hotbot.com

Val Asher

Wolf Biologist, Turner Endangered Species Fund, 1123 Research Dr., Bozeman, MT 59718; (406) 556-8514;

valasher@montana.net

Dominic Domenici

Wyoming Senior Resident Agent, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 100 East B St., Federal Bldg Rm 4130, Casper, WY

82602; (307) 261-6365; dominic_domenici@fws.gov

Abstract

Gray wolf (Canis lupus) populations were eliminated from Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, as well

as adjacent southwestern Canada by the 1930s. After human-caused mortality of wolves in

southwestern Canada began to be regulated in the 1960s, populations began expanding southward.

Dispersing individuals occasionally reached the northern Rocky Mountains of the United

States, but lacked legal protection there until 1974, after passage of the Endangered Species Act

of 1973. In 1986, wolves from Canada successfully raised a litter of pups in Glacier National

Park, Montana, and a small population was soon established. In 1995 and 1996, wolves from

western Canada were reintroduced to remote public lands in central Idaho and Yellowstone

National Park. These wolves were designated as nonessential experimental populations to

increase management flexibility and address local and state concerns. Wolf restoration is rapidly

occurring in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, and there were at least 28 breeding pairs in December

2000. There are now about 63 adult wolves in northwestern Montana, 192 in central Idaho,

and 177 in the Greater Yellowstone area. Dispersal of wolves between Canada, Montana, Idaho,

and Wyoming has been documented. Occasional lone wolves may disperse into adjacent states,

but population establishment outside of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming is probably not imminent.

The gray wolf population in the northwestern U.S. should be recovered and, depending on the

completion of state and tribal wolf conservation plans, could be proposed to be removed from Act

protection within three years. Wolf restoration has proceeded more quickly and with more

benefits, such as public viewing than predicted. Problems, including confirmed livestock depredations,

have been lower than estimated. The Service led interagency recovery program focuses

its efforts on achieving wolf recovery while addressing the concerns of people who live near

wolves. Wolves have restored an important ecological process to several large wild areas in the

northern Rocky Mountains of the U.S. The program has been widely publicized and is generally

viewed as highly successful.