Wolf numbers increase

About 316 wolves now inhabit Montana, nearly equally distributed between the state's northern and southern populations, according to the annual wolf conservation and management report released by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

FWP’s report, which is available on line at www.fwp.mt.gov, shows Montana's wolf population increased about 19 percent from last year. The minimum Montana wolf population is estimated at 316 wolves, in 60 verified packs, and 21 breeding pairs.

FWP’s report is part of the annual federal recovery update required by the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The end of 2006 count also estimates that 311 wolves inhabit Wyoming and 673 wolves inhabit Idaho.

Most of the increase in Montana's wolf population occurred in northwestern Montana where the population grew by about 41 wolves. In the southern portion of the state the population increased by about 19 wolves.

"We're certain part of the increase is related to efforts to look harder to find wolves and to the fact that hundreds of people took the time to tell us where and when they saw wolves or wolf sign," said Carolyn Sime, FWP's wolf management coordinator in Helena.

In the northwestern Montana endangered area, biologists estimate the wolf population at 167 wolves, in 31 verified packs, and 11 breeding pairs. In the southwestern Montana experimental area, biologists estimate the wolf population at 149 wolves, in 29 verified packs, and 10 breeding pairs.

While wolves are listed under the Endangered Species Act, they remain under two different sets of federal regulations in Montana. These regulations provide guidelines for what lethal and non-lethal tools landowners and others can use to protect livestock and domestic animals from wolves.

Of the 65 wolf deaths documented in 2006, 53 were related to livestock depredations, four were killed illegally, and two were struck by vehicles. Others died from a variety of causes common to all wildlife species, including poor health and old age.

Confirmed cattle deaths in Montana increased from 23 in 2005 to 32 in 2006, but confirmed sheep death losses decreased from 33 to four. Two llamas and four dogs were also confirmed killed by wolves. Additional losses and injuries occurred, but either could not be verified or were determined to be "probable" wolf kills. Genetic testing also revealed that a domestic wolf, and not a wild wolf, was responsible for a series of sheep depredations in eastern Montana.

"We know Montana's wolves inhabit places where people live, work and recreate," Sime said. "We expect and try to anticipate conflicts and gear much of our wolf management work toward helping landowners reduce the risk of livestock depredations."

Sime noted that of 53 wolves that were killed to prevent further depredations, four were killed by private citizens in southern Montana's experimental area. She said a variety of nonlethal tools were also employed in cooperation with landowners to reduce potential conflicts.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed to delist the northern Rocky Mountain’s gray wolves in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming—and parts of Washington and Utah—based in part on the USFWS's determination that the northern Rocky Mountain population has exceeded recovery goals and all potential threats to the wolf, except inadequate state regulations in northwestern Wyoming, have been resolved.

The minimum recovery goal for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains is 30 breeding pairs and at least 300 wolves for three consecutive years, a goal that was attained in 2002 and has been exceeded every year since. The complete 2006 Northern Rockies interagency report is available online at: http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf.

Comments on the proposal to delist the northern Rocky Mountain population of wolves can be sent via email to: NRMGrayWolf@fws.gov ; or mailed to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wolf Delisting, 585 Shepard Way, Helena, MT 59601.