Wolf (Canis lupus)

[TheNormalGuy]

Composition of Yellowstone Wolf Kills (1995-2019)

1995 : 50 Kills

- 48Elks (96 %)
- 1 Moose (2 %)
- 1 Mountain Goat (2 %)

1996 : 142 kills

- 137 Elk (96.5 %)
- 2 Moose (1.4 %)
- 1 Pronghorn (0.7 %)
- 1 Mule Deer (0.7 %)
- 1 White-Tailed Deer (0.7 %)

1997 : 257 kills

- 234 Elk (91.0 %)
- 8 Moose (3.1 %)
- 6 Mule Deer (2.3 %)
- 2 Bison (0.8 %)
- 1 Beaver (0.4 %)
- 6 Unidentified Animals (2.3 %)

1998 : 109 definite and 120 probable wolf kills [229]

- 197 elk (86 %)
- 6 mule deer (3%)
- 7 coyote [b](3%)
- 6 pronghorn (3%)
- 5 bison (2%)
- 3 moose (1%)
- 4 unknown prey (2%)
- 1 [b]wolf (0.4 %)

1999 : 110 definite and 206 probable wolf kills [316]

- 276 elk (87%)
- 14 bison (4%)
- 7 moose (2%)
- 2 mule deer (<1%)
- 3 coyotes (1%)
- 1 short-eared owl (<1%)
- 1 wolf (<1%),
- 12 unknown prey (4%).

2000 : 113 definite and 210 probable wolf kills [323]

- 281 Elk (87% of total)
- 10 bison (3%)
- 4 moose (1%)
- 5 deer (1.5%)
- 4 coyotes (1%)
- 1 wolf (0.3 %)
- 17 unknown prey (5%).

2001 : 161 definite and 196 probable wolf kills [357]

- 311 Elk (87% of total)
- 6 bison (2%)
- 1 moose (<0.5%)
- 6 deer (2%)
- 1 pronghorn (<0.5%)
- 6 coyotes (2%)
- 26 unknown prey (7%).

2002 : 132 definite, 206 probable, and 8 possible wolf kills [346]

- 291 Elk (84% of total)
- 21 bison (6%)
- 4 deer (1%)
- 4 coyotes (1%)
- 4 wolves (1%)
- 1 badger (<0.5%)
- 1 Canada goose (<0.5%)
- 22 unknown prey (6%).

2003 : 99 definite, 239 probable and 37 possible wolf kills [375]

- 313 elk (83% of total)
- 22 bison, (6%)
- 7 moose (2%)
- 3 deer (1%)
- 1 cougar (<1%)
- 4 coyotes (1%)
- 4 wolves (1%)
- 1 porcupine (<1%)
- 1 sandhill crane (<1%)
- 19 unknown prey (5%).

2004 : 295 wolf kills (definite, probable, and possible combined) made by wolves in 2004

- 240 Elk (81%)
- 19 bison (6%)
- 1 moose (<1%)
- 4 deer (1%)
- 4 pronghorn (1%)
- 1 badger (<1%)
- 2 cougars (1%)
- 6 coyotes (2%)
- 1 golden eagle (<1%)
- 2 grizzly bear cubs (1%)
- 1 raven (<1%)
- 3 wolves (1%)
- 11 unknown prey (4%).

2005 : 316 wolf kills (definite, probable, and possible combined)

- 244 elk (77%)
- 29 bison (9%)
- 9 wolves (3%)
- 6 deer (2%)
- 4 moose (1%)
- 4 coyotes (1%)
- 2 skunks (1%)
- 2 ravens (1%)
- 1 pronghorn (<1%)
- 1 badger (<1%)
- 14 unknown prey (4%).

2006 : 281 wolf kills (definite, probable, and possible combined)

- 219 elk (80%)
- 30 bison (14%)
- 6 coyotes (2%)
- 5 wolves (2%)
- 3 deer (1%)
- 2 bighorn sheep (<1%)
- 2 moose (<1%)
- 1 beaver (<1%)
- 1 golden eagle (<1%)
- 12 unknown prey (4%).

2007 : 323 wolf kills (definite, probable, and possible combined)

- 272 elk (84%)
- 11 bison (3.4%)
- 7 wolves (2%)
- 4 deer (1%)
- 4 coyotes (1%)
- 3 moose (<1%)
- 2 black bears (<1%)
- 1 pronghorn (<1%)
- 1 golden eagle (<1%)
- 1 red fox (<1%)
- 1 otter (<1%)
- 16 unknown prey (5%).

2008 : 576 definite, probable, or possible wolf kills

- 463 elk (80%)
- 23 bison (4%),
- 19 deer (3%)
- 13 coyotes (2%)
- 11 wolves (2%)
- 5 pronghorn (0.9%)
- 3 moose (0.5%)
- 3 grouse (0.5%)
- 2 bighorn sheep (0.3%)
- 2 ravens (0.3%)
- 1 beaver (0.2%)
- 1 golden eagle (0.2%)
- 1 grizzly bear (cub) (0.2%)
- 1 cougar (0.2%)
- 1 red fox (0.2%)
- 1 otter (0.2%)
- 26 unknown prey (5%).

2009 : 365 wolf kills in 2009

- 302 elk (83%)
- 19 bison (5%)
- 7 deer (2%)
- 6 wolves (2%)
- 4 pronghorn (1.1%)
- 3 coyotes (0.8%)
- 2 red foxes (0.5%)
- 1 moose (0.3%)
- 1 bighorn sheep (0.3%)
- 1 Canada goose (0.3%)
- 1 bald eagle (0.3%)
- 8 unknown prey (2%)

2010 : 268 wolf kills in 2010 (definite, probable, and possible combined)

- 211 elk (79%)
- 25 bison (9%)
- 7 deer (3%)
- 4 wolves (1%)
- 2 moose (<1%)
- 2 pronghorn (<1%)
- 2 grizzly bears [cubs] (< 1%)
- 4 coyotes (1%)
- 2 ravens (<1%)
- 10 unknown species (4%).

2011 : 343 Wolf kills (definite, probable and possible combined)

- 267 elk (78%)
- 15 bison (4%)
- 18 deer (5%)
- 1 moose (<1%),
- 2 pronghorn (<1%)
- 2 bighorn sheep (<1%)
- 2 badgers (<1%)
- 1 jackrabbit (<1%)
- 14 coyotes (4%)
- 1 raven (<1%)
- 7 wolves (2%)
- 13 unknown prey (4%).

2012 : 255 Wolf kills (definite, probable and possible combined)

- 159 elk (62%)
- 32 bison (13%)
- 13 mule deer (5%)
- 2 whitetail deer (1%)
- 5 deer unknown species (2%)
- 4 pronghorn (2%)
- 2 moose (1%)
- 2 Canada geese (1%)
- 9 wolves (4%)
- 1 bighorn sheep (<1%)
- 1 otter (<1%)
- 1 grizzly bear cub (<1%)
- 1 coyote (<1%)
- 23 unknown prey (9%)

2013 : 269 kills that were definitely, probably, or possibly made by wolves

- 193 elk (72%)
- 16 bison (6%)
- 13 mule deer (5%)
- 7 deer of unknown species (3%)
- 5 coyotes (2%)
- 4 pronghorn (1%)
- 4 wolves (1%)
- 3 bighorn sheep (1%)
- 2 moose (<1%)
- 2 badgers (<1%)
- 1 red fox (<1%)
- 1 porcupine (<1%)
- 1 muskrat (<1%)
- 1 long-tailed weasel (<1%)
- 1 fish (<1%)
- 15 unidentified animals (6%).

2014 : 227 kills that were definitely, probably or possibly made by wolves

- 148 elk (65%)
- 20 bison (9%)
- 13 mule deer (5%)
- 10 deer of unknown species (4%, probably mule deer)
- 5 coyotes (2%)
- 3 moose (1%)
- 3 wolves (1%)
- 1 badger (<1%)
- 1 beaver (<1%)
- 1 bighorn sheep (<1%)
- 1 goose (<1%)
- 1 raven (<1%)
- 1 pronghorn (<1%)
- 19 unidentified animals (8%).

2015 : 199 kills that were definitely, probably or possibly made by wolves

- 137 elk (69%)
- 14 bison (7%)
- 14 deer of unknown species (7% probably mule deer)
- 7 mule deer (3.5%)
- 3 coyotes (1.5%)
- 3 moose (1.5%)
- 3 wolves (1.5%)
- 1 badger (<1%)
- 1 otter (<1%)
- 1 pronghorn (<1%)
- 15 unidentified animals (7.5%).

2016 : 235 kills that were definitely, probably or possibly made by wolves

- 161 elk (68.5%)
- 19 bison (8.1%)
- 5 mule deer (2.1%)
- 14 deer of unknown species (6% probably mule deer)
- 4 coyotes (1.7%)
- 3 wolves (1.3%)
- 3 pronghorn (1.3%)
- 3 bighorn sheep (1.3%)
- 2 badgers (0.9%)
- 2 snowshoe hares (0.9%)
- 1 moose (0.4%)
- 1 beaver (0.4%)
- 17 unidentified animals (7.2%).

2017 : 233 kills that were definitely, probably or possibly made by wolves

- 150 elk (64.4%)
- 31 bison (13.3%)
- 12 mule deer (5.2%)
- 8 deer of unknown species (3.4%)
- 7 coyotes (3.0%)
- 3 white-tailed deer (1.3%)
- 2 snowshoe hares (0.9%)
- 1 wolf (0.4%)
- 1 pronghorn (0.4%)
- 1 badger (0.4%)
- 1 moose (0.4%)
- 1 golden eagle (0.4%)
- 1 otter (0.4%)
- 14 unidentified animals (6.0%).

2018 : 151 kills that were definitely, probably or possibly made by wolves

- 95 elk (62.9%)
- 25 bison (16.6%)
- 11 mule deer (7.3%)
- 3 deer of unknown species (2.0%)
- 2 coyotes (3.0%)
- 2 pronghorn (1.3%)
- 1 grizzly bear (0.6%)
- 1 mountain lion (0.6%)
- 11 unidentified animals (7.3%).

2019 : 186 kills that were definitely, probably or possibly made by wolves :

- 111 elk (59.7%)
- 38 bison (20.4%)
- 11 mule deer (5.9%)
- 2 deer of unknown species (1.1%)
- 3 coyotes (1.6%)
- 2 pronghorn (1.1%)
- 2 ravens (1.1%)
- 1 red fox (0.5%)
- 1 moose (0.5%)
- 1 golden eagle (0.5%)
- 1 bald eagle (0.5%)
- 1 mountain lion (0.5%)
- 1 domestic dog (0.5%)
- 11 unidentified animals (5.9%).

Source : Yellowstone Wolf Project Annuals Reports 1995-2019

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Total Wolves Kills 1995-2019 [24 years]

6917 (Definite, probable, or possible) wolf kills 

Average : 288 Wolf Kills/year

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Prey/Inter & Intraspecific competition wolf kills [% of all kills + Best % a year]

- 5450 Elk (78.8 %) [96 % in 1996 & 1997]

- 446 Bison (6.4 %) [20.4 % in 2019]

- 149 Unknown Species of Deer (Mule Deer or White-Tailed Deer) (2.2 %) [7 % in 2015]

- 112 Coyotes (1.6 %) [4 % in 2011]

- 100 Mule Deer (1.4 %) [7.3 % in 2018]

- 86 Wolf (1.2 %) [4 % in 2012]

- 64 Moose (0.9 %) [3.1 % in 1997]

- 45 Pronghorn (0.7 %)

- 15 Bighorn Sheep (0.2 %)

- 12 Badger (0.2 %)

- 11 Raven (0.2 %)

- 7 Grizzly Bears [Cubs] (0.1 %)

- 6 Red Fox (0.09 %)

- 6 Mountain Lion (0.09 %)

- 6 Golden Eagle (0.09 %)

- 5 Beaver (0.07 %)

- 5 Canada Goose (0.07 %)

- 5 Otter (0.07 %)

- 4 White-Tailed Deer (0.06 %)

- 4 Snowshoe Hare (0.06 %)

- 3 Grouse (0.04 %)

- 2 Bald Eagle (0.03 %)

- 2 Porcupine (0.03 %)

- 2 Skunk (0.03 %)

- 2 American Black Bear (0.03 %)

- 1 Sandhill Crane (0.01 %)

- 1 Short-Eared Owl (0.01 %)

- 1 Mountain Goat (0.01 %)

- 1 Jackrabbit (0.01 %)

- 1 Muskrat (0.01 %)

- 1 Long Tailed Weasel (0.01 %)

- 1 Fish (0.01 %)

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Note : Most time, if not all the time, wolves do not eat coyotes, bears, wolves & cougars. The purpose of their killing are battle at carcasses, getting rid of competitors as much for the pups or for food & Territorial Dispute between packs.

If we do not take in account predators [Wolf, Coyote, Black Bear, Grizzly, Mountain Lion], which counts together as 3.02 % [213 kills out of 6917],

Elk (5450) and Bison (446) counts for respectively 81.3% & 6.7 % of all kills [Out of 6704] Reply