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Yellowstone Wolf Directory
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 The Crystal Creek/Mollie's Pack Timeline (1995-Current)
Note : In Green [Dates], in Blue [Alive Wolves] - January 12, 1995 : The First Wolf [5F] is carried into the Crystal Creek Pen. It marks the original date of re-introduced wolves in Yellowstone. Mike Phillips, Jim Evanoff, Molly Beattie, Director of USFWS, Mike Finley, YNP Supt. and Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior carried 5F to the pen. They each had an important role in the returns of wolves in Yellowstone. There is 6 wolves in the original Crystal Creek/Mollie's Pack :
Member of The Wolf Project Team cuts a hole in the Crystal Creek Pen. Wolves leaves and 14 [Now] wild wolves of 3 packs (Crystal Creek, Rose Creek & Soda Butte) are the first official wolves recorded in Yellowstone National Park in about 70 years. - June 1995 : The Crystal Creek Pack is the largest pack of Yellowstone & Wolf Watcher First Attraction. They are highly visible on the Northeastern Entrance and interacts with a lot of animals. Here is a quote from a staff member off the Greater Yellowstone Coalition on the topic of wolves in Yellowstone at the time : "It was so pleasant last Saturday walking along in the Lamar Valley, knowing that at last here was a place with all the original predators and prey of prehistoric Yellowstone -- grizzly bears and black bears, cougar, wolves, coyotes, fox, badgers, bobcats, bison, elk, moose, deer, and antelope. Many of us have waited so long for this day." - August 1995 : The Crystal Creek Pack leaves Lamar Valley and settles in Pelican Valley [what would be and is their main territory since 25 years]. - September 1995 : Yearling Wolf #8M (Gray) comes across the penned Rose Creek Wolves (9F & her 8 pups sired by 10M). 8M will stick around the pen & paired with 9F when they would be released on October 10, 1995. - December 1995 : Yearling 3M disperse from the pack. He would kill livestock on January 12 1996 - January 1996 : 21 Months Old #2M disperse permanently from the pack. It will find a gray yearling female from the Rose Creek Pack : Wolf 7F (The Daughter of 9F) and form the Leopold Pack, The first naturally formed pack in Yellowstone in 70 years. - January 23rd 1996 : 17 Wolves for the second reintroduction arrives in Yellowstone By Truck.
- February 1996 : Wolf 3M is removed in an control action after killing livestock for the second time. - April 1996 : #5F denned. - May 20 1996 : The Alpha Male #4M is killed by members of the Druid Peak Pack. 5F was likely injured in the encounter too. The pack is now comprised of Gray 5F (now estimated to be 5-6 years) & 2 year old black wolf #6M (Born to 4M & Likely 5F's Sister in Canada back in 1994) - Late May 1996 to End of 1996 : The 2 wolves (5F & 6M) stays together in Lamar Valley - January 1997 : The Pair moved to Pelican Valley. - February 1997 : The Pair is Located on Mirroir Plateau - April 1997 : 5F & 6M bred back in February. They had at 6 pups. - September 1997 : The pack of 8 is located in Pelican Valley
- November 1997 : The pack of 7 moved east of Yellowstone Lake in an exploratory pattern to come back to Pelican Valley shortly afterwards. They frequented the east shore in periodically - January 1998 : The Pack left the park, and went in the Absaroka Range, east of the North-East Entrance. - February 1998 : The Pack returned to Pelican Valley. - March 1998 : All pups (118M, 119 ?, 120M, 121 ?, 122 ?, 136F) are alive as well as 5F & 6M They captured 5 wolves for collaring [5F & 6M re-collared + 3 of the 5 pups].
One of the male pups (118M, 120M or 122M, although #121 ? and 119 ? could also be males) weighed 115 lbs (had eaten two days before). A female pup weighed 99 lbs (#119 ? or #121 ? or 136F) - April 1998 : The 1997 Litter all reached 1 year of age. The Pack made their recorded third bison kill. They [5F & 6M] had 8 pups. There are now 16 members in this pack :
- August/September 1998 : Wolf #6M is killed by an elk. - September 1998 : The large black yearling sporting a white patch on its throat, wolf #104M of the Druid Peak Pack (Son of 38M & 42F), dispersed and joins the pack, making the pack an 16 members wolf pack once again. 104M assumed quickly the alpha male position (Making it the third one after 4M & 6M) - January 1999 : Three members of the pack get captured for collaring.
Also the Black Yearling Wolf #118M had dispersed and was in Chief Joseph II (would be called later Sheep Mountain) territory. So, the pack has 15 members ? - February 1999 : The Pack encounter Wolf #43M of the Soda Butte Pack and killed it. - April 1999 : 5F gave birth to an unknown number of pups which likely did not survive ? - June 1999 : Now 2 year old Black Wolf 104M left the pack. They are now 14 members ? - October 1999 : 2 year old #120M disperse and joins former packmate 104M in soda butte. Pack Size : 14 ? - November 1999 : The Pack killed dispersing male of Soda Butte : Wolf #123M - December 4th 1999 : The 14 members (?) strong pack encountered the 7 ? members Druid Peak Pack. They chased each other and no official deaths were observed on either side. - March 2000 : The pack formely 14 in October 1999, were only 5 in March 2000.
The only pup of 1999 [5F/104M] is presumed dead. - August 2000 : Old Wolf #5F is located apart from the rest of the pack. She was likely displaced by one of her two daughters (174F & 175F) - November 2000 : Wolf 5F was located feeding with Druid Peak Pack Members on one occasion. It marks the last sighting of her ? - February 2001 : Possible signal from 5F collar ? But not official - April 2001 : 174F give birth to 6 pups sired by 193M. There is 10 members in the pack
- December 2001 : The pack is 10 members strong. - April 2002 : 174F or 175F (Suggested to be 174F) gave birth to 2 pups sired by 193M. Those pups would be collared at the age of 5 years old in 2007 : #586M & #587M - December 2002 : The Pack of 12 made an incursion without incident in the 8 Members Druid Peak Pack Territory without any incident on both sides. 261M & 262M are now yearlings since April 2002 - January 2003 : Nearly 2 year old 261M dispersed with an uncollared gray brother to join 217F from the Druid peak pack. The 217F/261M Group would later be called the Slough Creek Pack. - April 2003 : The Pack of 8 (261M left, 262M is missing, one uncollared male left with 261M, 175F died, one other unknown) The Pack had killed in an 12 hours showdown a bull bison in March 2003. That bison killed 175F. An radio-collar black wolf of unknown origin joined. 174F gave birth to 4 pups sired by 193M (One black pup would be collared as #343M) - January 2004 : Longtime nearly 7 years old #194M disperses from the pack and is seen with U-Black and a uncollared grey male near Specimen Ridge. This group will get to be known as "The Specimen Ridge Pack" - February 2004 : The Pack kills the famous Wolf #42F from the Druid Peak Pack and get hatred by a lot of emotional people. NOTE (Not chronologic) : 379M was originally a mollie - April 2004 : 174F gives birth to 5 pups sired by 193M - August 2004 : The Pack is comprised of 4 adults and 5 pups - September 2004 : One of the 5 pups is missing & 378M & 379M rejoined the pack. 3 of the 4 remaining pups will be collared as : #495M, #496F & #497M in Winter of 2004/2005 - October 2004 : #378M & #379M attacked the den site of The Druid Pack, Injuring #302M. #379M had a friendly meeting with females #286F & #375F the day after, which #480M (then uncollared) didn't like. He attacked #379M and got it running back to Mollie's with an limp. - December 2004 : #379M is now part of the Specimen Ridge Pack. - February 2005 : Mollie's wolves are seen after about 50 days. 6 are seen including #378M. 193M is "missing" as well as 174F 3 Black Pups (and huge) #495M (119 lbs), 496F (104 lbs), 497M (99 lbs) gets collared, 586M (Not yet collared), 587M (not yet collared) Former Mollie's Wolf #379M, now in Slough Creek weighed 123 lbs. Note : i won't refer to them until they are collared in 2007 [586M & 587M] - March 2005 : The Pack count is up to 8 wolves, with resurgence of #193M (presumed dead) and the return or arrival of another wolf. - April 2005 : Wolf #378M is missing - June 2005 : The Pack has encounters with multiples packs including Nez Perce & Hayden Valley. The Pack killed the 9 year old #70M from the Nez Perce Pack. Yearling Female #486F of that pack would joins Mollie's shortly afterwards. The encounter with the Hayden Pack resulted in the death of the black yearling wolf #496F. She is the new alpha female. - September 2005 : They numbers 8 wolves.
- November 2005 : The 8 members encounters the 9 members Gibbon Pack and no deaths are recorded. #379M is killed by a prey and found dead in the Firehole River. Elk or Bison is suggested. - Winter 2005/2006 The collar of alpha female #486F is replaced. She was also weighed (90 lbs) - April 2006 #486F gives birth to 6 pups (sired by 193M). One of these pup would later be collared as #712M.... and you know his story (or do you ?) Bringing the total number of the pack to 13 ? - October 2006 Count : 11
- January 2007 : Nearly 5 years old gray males [brothers] Wolves #586M & #587M get collared - February 2007 : Old Wolf #193M is nearing 10 years of age and is confirmed to be infected with mange. He died before birthing season (April) - Summer 2007 Wolf #497M is struck by a vehicle and dies. 586M or 587M are thought to be new alpha male. 8-9 adults are part of the pack.
So they are 15 strong - October 31 2007 The Pack makes an intrusion in the Hayden Valley Pack Territory and a brawl takes place. Both the dominant breeding wolves ["alphas"] of Hayden Valley, both very popular amongst tourists and wolfwatchers, wolves #540F & #541M are killed on this sad day. 540F was a lovely white wolf originating from the Nez Perce Pack while the light gray alpha male, wolf #541M, came from the Swan Lake Pack. It must be noted that the daughter of 540F & 541M, the future "White Lady" [Canyon Alpha Female] was likely bred by a black Mollie's (?) interloper. This mating led to the birth of the only black pup of Hayden Valley in 2007, which would be collared as Wolf #638M later in its life. The Pack chased the remaining Haydens out of the park in the next fews days [638M, 639M, "The Future White Lady", and some others]. Yearling #712M & #587M would later joins with the Hayden female in 2008 to form the famous Canyon Pack. Again, the Mollie's were not very popular amongst people. But, it is part of life. - February 2008 : 10 months old siblings #640F [95 lbs] & #641M [101 lbs] were collared. They are the offsprings of #486F & late #193M April 2008 : The 3 pups born to the pack are those of wolf #486F & Wolf #495M [Born in 2004 to Wolf #174F & #193M] Wolf #686F is one of the pups (she would be collared in 2009) - July 2008 : Wolves #587M & uncollared [but soon to be] #712M joined the Hayden Female before breeding season. And they had two pups sired by #712M. Also "Limper" [the third male of the original Canyon Pack and the beta male] is possibly a born-Mollie's - April 2009 : Wolves #486F gave birth to her second litter of pups [5] with wolf #495M. Two wolves from this litter would be collared in their life and parts of interesting events : Black Wolf #758M & Wolf #759F. When re-collared, Wolf #495M weighed in at 143 lbs. - December 2009 : Wolf #586M (now approaching 7 years old) makes pre-dispersal moves. - February 14th 2010 : Nearly 3 year old #641M & Near 7 years old #586M traveled to the Agate Creek Pack Territory and #641M fought with the alpha male of the pack ("Big Blaze" later collared in 2012 as 838M). "Big Blaze" lost and returned to the Blacktail Pack while the beautiful agate wolf #472F accepted #641M as her new mate & the presence of #586M. - April 2010 : Wolf #486F had her third litter of pups, of which 7 survived to year end, with Wolf #495M. One of these pups would become a very important wolf : #779F - April 2011 Wolf #486F & #495M had their fourth litter together. 7 pups are from that litter, including wolves that would later be collared : #823F & #824M - Fall 2011 : The Pack are 22 strong : 7 pups, 15 adults/yearlings ? Wolf #495M is killed by a bison (likely). Shortly after, wolf #486F (almost white) vanished as well. Their daughter, wolf #686F took the reins of the pack. - December 2011 : The Pack had an encounter with the Mary Mountain Pack and killed their alpha male : #636M which originated from Cougar Creek. Nearly 3 year old 758M joined them and assume the alpha position. - January 2012 : Wolf #686F brings her pack of 19 wolves on the Northern Range [which they had not visit in over 2 years]. It was likely due to the absence of a mate. 5 adults (#686F, #779F, #822F & 2 other wolves), 7 pups, 7 yearlings - February 2012 : "Big Brown" (778M), 693F, "Medium Gray" & another yearling of The Blacktail Deer Plateau Pack surprised and chased three of the black pups of the pack one morning. 778M, 693F & "Medium Gray" returned a few days later. This time, 9 mollie's attack the trio and killed the beta male "Medium Gray". A gray adult female of the pack [Mollie's] that would be nicknamed "Ragged-Tail" was seen mating with Blacktail #777M & a mangy male. She would later be part of the formation of the Junction Butte Pack - March 2012 : The Pack wreck havoc in the northern range, likely killing a former member and Agate Creek Alpha Male (#641M) & his son (#775M). - June 2012 : The Pack comprised the light gray 4 year old #686F. Adult gray 759F (no collar), 3-year-old black 822F, 2-year-old black 779F, a 2-year-old black male, two other adult gray females, yearling gray 823F, yearling gray 824M, and five other yearlings. "Ragged-Tail" is away with 2 year old #777M of Blacktail & #Blacktail/Agate wolf nicknamed "Puff" (Later known as 911M). The group also include #759F of mollies & two gray mollie's. - August 3rd 2012 : 3 year old Wolf #822F gets caught and killed by the 8 members Lamar Canyon Pack while being in #777M Group. 6 Mollie's were also in the vicinity of the scene Also, a bunch of mollie's courted & flirted with #777M in august including #779F, #823F and others uncollared. Wolf #824M didn't like those interactions but didn't aggressively showed this. However, one day, the other mollie's group, with 686F & returnee 3 year old #758M (who went lead the Mary Mountain Pack for a year) alongside at least 4 others dislike that and killed #777M on August 11th 2012 - October 2012 : Wolf #824M gets shot and dies. He was a victim of the 2012 Wolf Hunting Season. - April 2013 : #759F found 755M [Likely the other way around] and breds with him in February. They later came back to the Lamar Canyon Pack but the daughters of #755M attacks his new mate and she died of her wounds. She was about to give birth when she got killed in April. 870F, 889F, then not collared #970F of Mollie's had joined the Junction Butte Pack in 2012. Another disperser of Mollie's/Junction is gray "Good-Tail" which paired with #755M after the tragic result of his previous pairing. The Pack [Mollie's] are just 3 wolves : 5 year old light gray #686F, 3 year old black #779F & a gray male of unknown origin that would later be known as #980M The pack 686F and/or 779F gave birth to at least 4 pups sired by 980M including #978F/1239F & 1014M [Currently 7 years old] - April 2014 : Wolf #779F gave birth to 6 pups sired by #980M, including wolves that would later be collared and part of important activities : #1015M & the current alpha female of Mollie's [2020] : Black #1090F. Wolf #1155M is also one of the pups. [He paired with 8-Mile Wolf #1154F in Fall 2020]. - April 2015 : #779F gave birth to at least 6 pups including #1013M. The father is 980M. - August 2015 : Wolf #980M dies [Killed by prey] - November 2015 : The 17 strong pack nearly killed "Mottled" of the Lamar Canyon Pack. He was attacked by #779F & 6 other wolves. - January 26 2016 : Near 3 year old 1014M, Near 2 year old 1015M and #1013M (pup) gets collared. - April 2016 : #779F gives birth to 4 pups to unknown sire. - Summer 2016 : Big 2 year old #1015M leads a small offshoot that would displaced the famous #755M from the Wapiti Pack. #1014M is with him as is #1155M, the littermate of 1015M. Junction Butte Beta Male #890M aka "Patch" joins and assume the vacant alpha male role after being accepted by #779F in July 2016. - January 2017 1090F is collared and all 3 : 779F, 890M & 978F are recollared. - December 2017 From 18 to 13 to 14 members (Arrival an unrelated wolf of unknown origin) - January 2018 : #1118F is collared. - March 2018 : The Pregnant #779F is killed by a prey. She was 8 year old. - April 2018 : Both 978F & 1118F bore litters. 3 pups are born from 978F's. 1118F denned apart. She lost her litter (and most of her group called "Cub Creek") either died in wolf hunting season. She was injured by a bullet and had a huge limp. She returned to the park however and lingered alone surviving for nearly a year before dying in September 2019. The pack [Mollie's main group] was 7 strong at the end of the year. - April 2019 : #890M & 978F/1239F gave birth to 5 pups, 4 of which survived to year end. - October 2019 : A yearling is killed in the wolf hunting season - December 2019 : 1237M (yearling/adult), 1238M (pup) & 1239F (which was 978F that slipped her collar) were collared [re-collared in 978F case, now as 1239F] - 2020 : The Pack celebrated their 25th year of existence [Well we celebrated the milestone, them do not know the exploit] 8 Members are currently part of the pack as of December 2020 : #890M, #978F/1239F, #1090F, #1237M, #1238M & 3 yearlings. Sources : Yellowstone Wolf Project Annual Reports, Ralph Maughan Blog, Kathie Lynch Reports @sanjay @peter @Maritimus77 you guys on your opinion [But any member can say their opinion & I'd like to get as much opinions as possible] on this kind of post. Is it interesting, should i do more of those. In my forum, I continue to correct the individuals stories & i did the basic informations for every new collared wolves Making this timeline took me about 15 hours of work, collecting informations in a focuss mindset. Hoping everyone like this timeline. And please, no negative comments about the Mollie's. They shouldn't be hated because they killed popular wolves. |
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