2014 Idaho Wolf Monitoring Progress Report

Hayden, Jim; Husseman, Jason; Struthers, Jennifer

Annual report on the Idaho wolf population. During January 1995 and January 1996, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) reintroduced 66 gray wolves to central Idaho and Yellowstone National Park as part of efforts to restore populations of endangered gray wolves (Canis lupus) in the northern Rocky Mountain States of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. In May 2011, the USFWS removed (delisted) gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountain Distinct Population Segment, excluding Wyoming, from the protections of the Endangered Species Act, and wolf management responsibility was transferred to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. During March 2002, the Idaho Legislature adopted the Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan (2002 Wolf Plan). This plan guides management of wolves in Idaho. The State of Idaho and Nez Perce Tribe monitored wolves cooperatively in 2014 through a Memorandum of Agreement signed in 2005. Biologists documented 104 packs within the state at the end of 2014. In addition, there were 23 documented border packs counted by Montana, Wyoming, and Washington that had established territories overlapping the Idaho state boundary. Additional packs are suspected but not included due to lack of documentation. Determination of breeding pair status was made for 43 packs. Of these, 26 packs met breeding pair criteria at the end of 2014, and 17 packs did not (Table 1). No determination of breeding pair status was made for the remaining 61 packs. Reproduction (production of at least 1 pup) was documented in a minimum 55 packs. The year-end population for documented packs, other documented groups not qualifying as packs, and lone wolves was estimated at 770 wolves. Mortalities of 360 wolves were documented in Idaho in 2014, 113 wolves (24%) less than in 2013. Human-caused mortality accounted for 342 of 344 (99%) wolf mortalities during 2014 where cause of death could be determined. Legal harvest was 256 wolves, agency removal and legal take was 67 wolves, and mortality from other human causes was 19 wolves. Sixteen wolf mortalities were attributed to unknown causes and two were attributed to natural causes.