Wyoming wolf numbers fall as disease spreads

STATE — Wolf numbers in Wyoming fell 19% in the state’s largest management area, according to a recent report from Wyoming Game and Fish.

The report pointed to likely spread of distemper, a measles-like disease found in almost 70% of wolves captured in the state last year.

Tut Fuentevilla with the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone said the latest figures do not necessarily signal a broader crisis.

“There have been outbreaks of distemper before. I think that the northern Rockies wolf population, especially around Yellowstone, is strongly impacted by disease pressures. So, it's not unusual for there to be these occasional disease outbreaks like distemper. It has a decent survival rate among the adults, but it really impacts the young wolves very strongly,” said Fuentevilla.

The report included one 10-pup litter where none survived. It did not confirm distemper as the cause.

Marc Cooke, president of Wolves of the Rockies, said hunting pressure also played a role in wolf health.

“They're hunted in some states virtually every day. That stress has an impact on their overall health. Viruses and other diseases have the ability to understand that drop in health, and then they can be susceptible to these diseases raising their ugly heads,” said Marc Cooke.

Fuentevilla said he expected Wyoming’s wolf population to recover but added that people would shape what happens next.

“The greatest threat wolves face is public perception. Our ability to have an impact on them is greater than the ability of wolves to potentially recover if we decide what we really don't like having wolves in this area,” said Tut Fuentevilla.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said its wolf data for last year would not be available for a couple more months.