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Wolf Population Trends 



N. Rocky Mountain States, 1979-2000 



CO 

 LU 

 > 



O 



500 



400 



300 



O 



4fe 



200 



100 



I 



...Il 



79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 



YEAR 



NW 



MONTANA I I YELLOWSTONE | | CENTRAL IDAHO 



Figure 3. Grey wolf population trends in the Northwest Montana, Greater Yellowstone, and central Idaho recovery 

 areas from 1979-2000. (Source: USFWS ct al. 2001) 



Present wolf distribution in Montana is presented in Figure 2. MFWP anticipates that wolf distribution will evolve 

 through time due to the interplay of ecological needs and social tolerance. It will most likely comprise western 

 Montana. Even in western Montana, wolf distribution will be discontinuous compared to the more homogeneous 

 habitats and continuous wolf distribution typical of the upper Midwest. The distribution of deer and elk populations 

 in high enough densities to support wolves is discontinuous because of marginal habitat conditions for ungulates or 

 concentrated human settlements in intermountain valleys. Although there is an adequate natural prey base to 

 support wolf presence in eastern Montana, most of the land base is privately owned. Most of the public lands in 

 eastern Montana are grazed by domestic livestock during some part of the growing season. The higher frequency 

 with which wolves conflict with livestock on public and private land makes it unlikely that a wolf pack could be 

 sustained over the long tenn. However, wolf distribution would not be artificially restricted if social tolerance 

 permits wolf presence. Indeed, the general distribution of all wildlife species in Montana is dctemiined through the 

 interaction of species' ecological requirements and human tolerance, not through artificial restrictions. In the case 

 of wolves, the existence of a privately funded compensation program has helped to increase social tolerance for 

 wolves. This subject is discussed in a later chapter. 



By not establishing administrative limits to wolf distribution, wolves could disperse and move freely between 

 northwestern Wyoming, central Idaho, and Canada. The capability to exchange genetic material among the sub- 

 populations in the region is an important underpinning of wolf recovery and is required for long-icnu population 

 viability. The absence of any presupposed boundaries of wolf distribution provides maximum flexibility to MFWP 

 to accommodate wolf presence, address public concerns, and meet public expectations. 



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