Yellowstone Wolf: Tracking the Packs logo

Yellowstone Wolf: Tracking the Packs

Yellowstone's wolf packs—Lava Creek

This pack consisted of three adult wolves during the pack’s tenure. The alpha female (471F) was formerly an Agate wolf who paired up with alpha male (SW147M), a wolf born into the 8 Mile pack. While never successful, this pair had attempted to reproduce prior to 2008, when the pack was named. In 2008 a two year old gray female (nicknamed “06 Female” because she was born in 2006) from the Agate pack joined the pair. This pack encountered the Blacktail Deer Plateau and Agate packs periodically and encounters were usually non-aggressive, perhaps reflecting the close kinship between the Lava wolves and these different packs. In 2009, wolf SW147M had a severe mange infection, but by the end of the same year the entire pack appeared mange-free. In 2010 the pack disbanded, with each wolf joining different packs. The Lava Creek alpha male (SW147M) obtained alpha status in the Silver pack and “06 Female” joined two black males to form the new Lamar Canyon pack. After spending time with dispersing males from the Everts and Canyon packs, the former Lava Creek alpha female (471F) eventually rejoined her natal Agate Creek pack, eventually becoming alpha female once again.

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