Revised Numbers Confirm Rising Wolf Population
Wisconsin Ag Connection – 05/18/2005
The estimated number of gray wolves in Wisconsin through the late winter of 2005 was 425 to 455, up about 14 percent from the estimate of 373 to 410 for the same time a year ago, according to state wildlife officials. There were a total of 108 packs and 14 lone wolves documented in the state mainly distributed in northern and central forest portions of Wisconsin. The pack count was the same at 108 last year.
The state Department of Natural Resources recently completed the winter population estimate, which is based on a aerial surveys tracking 35 packs with radio-collared wolves, along with thousands of miles of snow track surveys by DNR trackers and volunteers, and collection of reports of wolf observations by the general public. The DNR has conducted the annual survey since the winter 1979-1980, and this was the tenth year of using trained volunteer trackers.
The goal for the state wolf population set in the 1999 Wolf Management Plan was 350 wolves in the state outside Indian reservations. The recent count included 414 to 442 wolves outside of Indian reservations (11 to 13 wolves occurred on reservation), thus the population is 64 to 92 wolves above the state goal.
This estimate does not include any wolf pups that will be born this spring. Wolves are currently at den sites and wolf pups are usually born in April. Packs usually average five to six pups per breeding female in the spring, but often fewer than 30 percent of the pups survive to the end of their first winter.
Wolves were listed as a state endangered species in 1975, when wolves from Minnesota began to move back into Wisconsin, after having been absent from the state for 15 years. The wolf population grew gradually, and in 1980 there were about 25 wolves in the state, but declined to only 15 in 1985 due to disease.