In 1995, wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park and the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness. For this reason, the more plentiful subspecies were chosen to be trans-located, so as to not upset the balance in the areas they would be taken from. The overall reason for this was that the stated two subspecies of wolf roamed in the same general area as the northern Rocky Mountain wolf and because the plan covered the reintroduction of wolves into the area in general. However, the northern Rocky Mountain wolf was not, at the time of the initial drafting, recognized as a legitimate subspecies, so the wolves involved in the plan were instead the Mackenzie Valley wolf. The plan required a certain population of northern Rocky Mountain wolves to reside in the area inside and around Yellowstone, which included at least ten breeding pairs, and for the population to remain stable for at least three consecutive years. The Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Plan was first approved in 1980, though it was then revised later on in 1987. Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Plan By 1924, the last known wolves in the bounds of Yellowstone were killed, though small numbers of the northern Rocky Mountain wolf survived in outlying areas. This policy was made even more all encompassing by the creation of the National Park Service in 1916, which regulated control over the land in Yellowstone and authorized through the National Park Service Organic Act the "destruction of such animals and such plant life that may be detrimental". A practice of eradication was enacted in 1915, through the use of guns, traps, and poison. In due time, the northern Rocky Mountain wolf began preying on the livestock brought by the settlers. Īs the American population began spreading west in the late 19th century, ranchers, farmers, and cattle drivers began to settle in the area. They resided nearby Native Americans of the Tukudika tribe, who considered the wolf to be a sacred animal. History Įarly recorded history of the northern Rocky Mountain wolf found it roaming primarily in the forests that would later become known as Yellowstone National Park. Cannibalism, in times of severe food shortage, occurs, as a pack will kill and eat an injured or weak member of the group. However, when prey is not as plentiful, northern Rocky Mountain wolves are able to survive for considerably long periods of time while eating only small amounts. When an individual or a pack is able to take down numerous prey, the amount a northern Rocky Mountain wolf eats daily will generally make up about 10–21% of its body mass, though there have been recorded instances of an individual eating up to 37% of its body mass. But, for the most part, small prey animals do not make up a large part of its diet. The northern Rocky Mountain wolf preys primarily on the bison, elk, the Rocky Mountain mule deer, and the beaver, though it is an opportunistic animal and will prey upon other species if the chance arises. Two wolf subspecies that live in the northern Rocky Mountains: Canis lupus irremotus (left) and Canis lupus occidentalis (right) Its population currently resides in western Montana, eastern Idaho, western Wyoming and southern Alberta. In general, the subspecies favors lighter colors, with black mixing in among them. It is a lighter-colored animal that inhabits the Rocky Mountains with a coat including far more white and less black. This subspecies generally weighs 70–150 pounds (32–68 kg) and stands at 26–32 inches, making it one of the largest subspecies of the gray wolf. This wolf is recognized as a subspecies of Canis lupus in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World (2005). They were later removed on Augfrom the list because of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming meeting the population quotas for the species to be considered stable. District Judge Donald Molloy in a decision overturning a previous ruling by the U.S. On August 6, 2010, the northern Rocky Mountain wolf was ordered to be returned under Endangered Species Act protections by U.S. The subspecies was initially listed as Endangered on March 9, 1978, but had the classification removed in the year 2000 due to the effects of the Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Plan. It is a light-colored, medium to large-sized subspecies with a narrow, flattened frontal bone. The northern Rocky Mountain wolf ( Canis lupus irremotus), also known as the northern Rocky Mountain timber wolf, is a subspecies of gray wolf native to the northern Rocky Mountains. Historical and present range of gray wolf subspecies in North America
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