Biologists Observe Wolves Playing In Yellowstone

Sun., March 26, 1995

Associated Press

Newly released wolves were seen frolicking in the Yellowstone National Park backcountry Saturday.

Park biologists spotted five animals about a quarter-mile southeast and southwest of the Crystal Bench pen. The animals were observed “playing” on a hillside and exhibiting behavior that indicated they were wolves, such as exploring, chasing one another and racing back and forth.

The biologists, who were nearly two miles away, witnessed the animals for 20 minutes in the afternoon and also saw one wolf that had remained in the pen.

Motion sensors indicated Friday that the six predators relocated to the Crystal Bench site had left their pen that was opened three days earlier. Saturday’s sighting was the first visual confirmation, officials said.

“It’s a really good sign that they haven’t just gone dashing off into the wilderness in six different directions,” park spokeswoman Marsha Karle said.

Biologists bringing fresh meat to a second acclimation pen five miles away spotted a male wolf howling outside the cage Friday. Monitoring equipment indicated the male and two females at the Rose Creek pen have remained in the area Saturday.

Fourteen wolves trapped in Canada were placed in three acclimation pens in January as the first step of a larger effort to return the endangered predators to America’s northern Rockies.

The Crystal Bench pen was locked open Tuesday while the Rose Creek pen holding a male and two females was opened Wednesday. It was not until Friday that the animals stepped out of their confinement.

“That was just a real exciting moment, because they seemed like they were all just staying in the pens and we’re saying ‘Hey, what’s going on here?’ We just needed to give them time,” Karle said.

A third cage holding the remaining five wolves would be opened in the next few days, she said.

Scientists were pleased with the visual spotting of the six wolves and that the male at the Rose Creek site was hanging around.

“Either he doesn’t want to leave or he’s waiting for a female, which is really a good sign. It means they bonded,” Karle said.

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