In 1996, wolves were released into Yellowstone National Park. Five of these wolves became the Peak Druid Pack. The Peak Druids were part of the powerful Besa tribe when they were captured near Fort St. John, British Columbia. The Lamar Valley is often considered Yellowstone's most prized hunting ground and the most visible place for wolves.
By the end of 1998, there were seven members of the Lamar Valley Druids, and their reputation for conflict was growing. Female wolf No. 42 has been harassed by her sister, the new female wolf No. 40, so Yellowstone researchers nicknamed No. 42 "Cinderella." A violent turn of events puts her at the head of the pack when she and the other female members, fed up with their brutal leader, turn on No. 40 and kill her. The liberated female wolf gave birth to at least three litters of pups, and 20 of the 21 pups survived. The Druids now number 27 members, making them the largest group in Yellowstone. In 2001, 10 more pups were added to the pack, making the 37-member Druid Pack the largest wolf pack ever recorded in North America.
In 2002, the wolf population reached a critical point and split. Three new packs were created, each anchored by a former Druid female. There are 11 druids, including matriarch Cinderella and long-time alpha male Number 21.
In 2003, when researchers recorded a six-hour ritual song and dance, a new wolf, #302, a lone black male who had been part of Leopold's pack, Joined the pack and became a breeding male wolf. Wolf researchers named him "Casanova." "These rituals have never been recorded in the wild, surprising many people and providing further insight into wolf society. By the end of 2003, the Druids expanded to 17 members.
2004 In 2005, the Druids suffered another terrible loss; Cinderella was killed by a member of a rival pack, and the old leader was found dead in the summer of 2005. In a decisive battle in 2005, the Bog Creek Pack lost its former possession. The dominant druid wolves were driven out of Lamar Valley that year, and two adult female druids died—one of them killed by molting—and no pups survived, reducing the pack to just four. members, it looked like it was coming to an end, but in true soap opera form, the Druids' story didn't end with their exile. In 2006, with the help of Casanova and the new alpha male, No. 480, the pack was transformed from one. The new site, called Cache Creek, began to rebuild. Both adult females of the pack successfully bred, giving birth to eight surviving pups. Also suffered losses due to conflicts with unknown groups from the north - they were able to regain their traditional territories in Soda Butte and Lamar Valley; six cubs were born there in 2007.
In 2010, after 14 years of domination in the northwest corner of Yellowstone National Park, one of the world's most prolific and high-profile wolf packs went extinct.
"The Druid Pack is finished," says Yellowstone. "It happened very quickly," said wolf biologist Doug Smith. The alpha left the pack rather than mate with the other females (his offspring). He also suffered from scabies, a skin infection caused by mites that can cause hair loss in animals with weak immune systems. It can be fatal. Seven other females in the group also suffered from scabies, and all but one died of scabies or were killed by other members of the group.
"Now only one remains," Smith said. The next one is coming, and that one may not survive the winter. ”
Ironically, the fate of the Druids was caused by Montana’s efforts to eradicate wolves and coyotes more than a century ago. In 1909, Montana’s Wildlife Veterinarians introduced mange to the Northern Rockies in an effort to wipe out local wolf and coyote populations.
Mange is a highly contagious canine skin disease caused by mites that invade the skin and cause infection, hair loss, severe irritation and an insatiable desire to scratch. Alopecia and lethargy in infected animals make them susceptible to hypothermia, malnutrition and dehydration, ultimately leading to death. Scientists believe the nasty, disease-causing mites persisted in coyotes and foxes after wolves were eradicated. Since their reintroduction to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in 1995-96, wolves did not appear to have been domesticated until 2002. As of November 2012, four of the eight known wolf packs in Yellowstone National Park were managed, mostly in the northern region.