Wolf population thriving in Rocky Mountain states
The wolf population in the Northern Rocky Mountains has grown by more than 20 percent since last winter. Officials estimate that 158 wolf packs, totaling at least 1,229 members, are living it up in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. The midyear estimate is the highest population estimate since wolves were reintroduced to the region in 1995 and 1996; however, “[i]t is important to note this estimate is very rough and a lot can change because of wolf mortality during the fall,” says Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Guess we’ll put away the pom-poms. Importantly to the area’s ranchers, the rise in wolf population has not corresponded with a rise in the number of livestock killed or injured.
