Yellowstone Wolf Directory

[TheNormalGuy]

(04-05-2020, 05:54 AM)peter Wrote: NORMAL

Excellent info. Many thanks on behalf of all! 

When done with the series on individuals, it would be appreciated if you find time to get to a kind of summary. My guess is many readers would be interested in average life span, mortality, relations with other predators, size and details about the way they hunt. 

It seems there are quite outspoken differences between these wolves and wolves living in the southwestern part of Asia Minor, central and western Russia, Mongolia and India. In Asia Minor, India and some parts of Russia, wolves still are a threat to humans. Although incidents have been reported in the US and Canada, wolves seem to avoid humans in that part of the world. Same for most of Europe. Anything known about the reasons?

Thank you. I am pleased that this thread is appreciated by viewers and members of Wildfact.

Yes, i will do after the summary of many many wolves, something like you said about continue to raise awareness and rise the knowledge about yellowstone wolves.

I could give the viewers and members a taste of what yellowstone wolves are in general.

1) The average lifespan of a yellowstone wolf is about 4 years. 8 years for a wolf is old. However, they can reach "easily" 10-12 years if they avoid injuries and if food is abundant. Even 15 years in the wild some says (kind of doubtful but still)

Some of the wolves like 126F, 192M, 478F, 587M, 712M and The White Lady have great and long stories covering 11 and even 12 years (126F, 192M and 478F)

2) The highest natural wolf mortality comes from packs fights

One year only (i think it was 2012 or 2008... not sure) 12 wolves died from this cause.

However, no wolf death were reported for this cause in 2018 and 2019.

Obviously and sadly, humans are the principal cause of deaths amongst yellowstone wolves.

They are either hit by cars or harvested in wolf hunting season when they wandered outside the parks boundaries.

Bison, Moose and elk are preys that can and have kill many wolves in Yellowstone history.

Wolf#14F was killed by a moose

Wolf#6M was killed by an bull elk

And bison kill others

As mountain lion are responsible for at least 2 wolf deaths

Grizzly bears didn't actually kill adult wolves as far as i red in YNP history since the wolf reintroduction but pups were killed.


3) Interactions with other predators and scavengers/order at carcasses.

Order at carcasses on wolf kills 

1. Male Grizzly bears (even against 14 wolves)
2. Wolves (I guess from 7 and up)
3. Grizzly Sows
4. American Black Bear/Cougar
5. Lone wolf
6. Coyote/Golden Eagle/Bald Eagle/Wolverine
7. Red Fox/Ravens/Magpies


Relations with predators :

GRIZZLY BEAR

Sighting of a sow.

Reaction : Probably nothing

Sighting of Male Grizzly :

Reaction : I guess nothing

Sighting of a coyote : Give them chase and kill them if caught

Sighting of any other carnivores : probably nothing


At Carcasses, a full grown male grizzly will usurps any kill it want to or nearly (no matter what is the pack size)

Sows might be driven off by packs including more than 5 members or if they are with cubs [They will retreat to prevent the cubs to die.... obviously]

Coyotes in Yellowstone lives in pair : A Male and A Female usually. There is some "pack" [More likely known as groups, I seen in documentaries up to 6 I think]

The male is more "Brave" but less clever in some sort. They will try their luck on wolf kills when the wolves rest or are full bellied.

The Druid Pack were in the 2000's a coyote nightmare. They killed maybe 15-18 coyotes in 6-7 years. And this are those who were documented. 


Red fox are not hunted.

However, how wolves perceive coyotes is how coyote perceives red foxes. 

4) Hunting Techniques (I sure know that bison hunting success and technique is admired and highly intriguing and captivating.)


However, it isn't a born instinct..... I mean they got to learn how to kill them.

From when the first reintroduced wolves were released from their acclimations pens in March 1995, it took 2 years before a pack killed a bison.

Indeed, in 1997, The Crystal Creek Pack and the Nez Perce Pack killed a bison each.

Elk portion of wolf kills in the beginning was about 88-90 % of the wolf kills documented.

With the year, bison kills rose both in numbers and % of the total wolf kills.

From 2% in 1997 up to 21% in 2018 or 2019 (See the Yellowstone Wolf Project Annuals Projects, Section Predator-Prey relationship.)

Elk proportion in that record killing bison year (23 bisons killed in 2018 or 2019, I'm not sure to remember which year it was....) was "only" 69%

Studies in the Late 1990's showed that an average of 14 wolves were participating in bison hunts in the Crystal Creek Pack [The Crystal Creek Pack, now named Mollie's is the only Original Pack of the 1995 reintroduction still standing and celebrated its 25th Anniversary this March 2020]

5) Hunting Procedures (Preparation, the hunt, bring down)

Preparation

They can follow bison or elk herds for days, looking for signs of weakness and/or diseases amongst their preys groups.

They will do "fake hunts" !

What I mean here is that they will test the running ability of theirs preys.

The preys reacted to this over the years by demonstrating theirs supremacy, their "look what I'm capable of" particularly elks.

Bull and Cow Elks will trots in a weird fashion, easily recognizable. They struts in weird way, their legs moving quite like when "we ride a bicycle" [With imagination... you can figure this out... trust me] and in doing so, they lift their heads like "You are no match for me"

Some elk aren't good at this and wolf can perceive it and launch an hunt.

They can also smell dental decay and infections in some of their preys. Infections = weaker

As a matter of fact, each wolf kill is examined afterwards by experts and biologists who will cut through the bones of the legs of killed ungulates to see the state of the marrow of the preys taken. If the marrow is liquid, it means the prey was starving to death and/or very weak.

The Hunt

A Bull Elk or Bison that stand their grounds against wolves have very good odds of survival, as a Cape buffalo against a lion. If they don't let their nerves do decisions and don't run away, it is extremely difficult for a wolf to grab hold of a leg without being fended off or kicked.

It is then a matter of hours and sometimes even days. 

- Either the prey will try to escape and then, the wolves will catch with it and kill it
- or the predators grew annoyed and go for an easier meal

Young males are the fastest wolves (particularly 2-3 years old) while older and heavier wolves are bringing the weight, experience in the Bringing Down Moments of the hunt be it a elk or a bison.

The faster young males and females will get hold on a leg and slow down the prey, letting the older and more experienced catch with them and the prey.

They will then bring it down.
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6) Human-Wolf Relations in North America Vs Europe (in some sort)

Canada : 2nd Country in Superficy, only 34-37 Millions habitants, including about 15 millions where wolves are small and not very abundant (Ontario and Quebec)

USA : The Wolf Numbers are almost 80-90% only in the State of Alaska. There isn't a lot of people there. Like Anchorage is what ? 200 000 habitants 


Europe : Small Countries, Crowded With People

Asia : Even More People per square kilometres


Also, people in Alaska have the right to carry guns and take "pride" in doing so, they are mostly hunters and survivalists, adepts of the colds and knowing what they do.

I do not know why the wolves-humans incidents happen in the west European countries and even middle Europe myself.

However, in India, where the number of people excess 1.3 billion, there is multiples reasons of attacks, lack of preventions, other threats and education in play.

1) Not the main animal threat : Leopards, Tigers roams the land and scared more than anything else.

I personally don't know if the veneration of cows as sacred animal in India as an influence on Indian wolf conflict and incidents with human resulting in attacks and deaths...... but I think it isn't a legit reason and that it shouldn't be considered as THE reason.

FIREARMS has its reputation, education has its too, knowledge is also a factor as population numbers, food abundance, proximity to livestock are reasons and factor of risk (Diminishing or accentuating)


It is a personal opinion on this question, as no one can exactly pinpoint and documents with conclusive evidences of why there would more incidents in Asia or Europe than in North America.
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For this thread, I will think about your summary, as whether to keep this as a strictly directory thread or somewhat Yellowstone directory. 

To be honest, I don't know yet. Reply