Preserving a natural wolf population in Yellowstone National Park, USA

Povilitis, Tony

A fundamental goal of national parks in the United States is conservation of wildlife in a natural, unimpaired state for the benefit of people (NPS 2006; Ross 2013). “Naturalness,” the avoidance of artificiality, should be the rule (Robbins et al. 1963). However, the no-impairment standard can be violated by external threats to park wildlife and by management actions to abate conflicts between wildlife and people in parks. In this paper I examine how trophy hunting of wolves near Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and wolf habituation management within the park (YNP 2003) threaten a unique assemblage of naturally occurring wolves (Canis lupus). I suggest ways to address these threats. The gray wolf was re-introduced to YNP in 1995–1996 as part of a recovery program for this species in the US (Smith et al. 2012). The number of park wolves peaked at 174 individuals in 2003 and then decreased and stabilized at 96–98 wolves from 2009–2011, indicating rapid growth in response to abundant prey and a subsequent decline suggesting interaction between predator and prey abundance (Sinclair et al. 2006). In 2012, wolf trophy hunting occurred for the first time in all three states surrounding YNP (Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming). In preceding years, state wolf hunts were limited and constrained by legal challenges (Mech 2013). Efforts within the park to deter wolves from being near people began soon after re-introduction (YNP 2003).