Gray wolves in and around Yellowstone National Park haven't had a severe impact on elk populations or the agriculture industry, according to the lead coordinator for wolf recovery in the region.

Gray wolf and elk carcass, by Dan and Cindy Hartman

Ed Bangs, who heads up wolf recovery in the northern Rocky Mountains for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said science and the numbers don't support speculation that wolves are decimating elk and other ungulates.

"There's no doubt wolves eat elk, we all know that," Bangs said Monday, adding that the wolves are bringing subtle changes in the age structure and number of calves in elk populations. "But we haven't seen the kind of draconian changes that some people were predicting."

One of the most contentious issues surrounding the reintroduction of wolves in 1995 and 1996 has been what effect they would have on livestock and elk populations. Citizen groups, hunters and others have claimed that the wolves—one of the top predators in the food chain—are driving down elk numbers in Wyoming and Montana.

In preparation for a meeting with members of the Montana Legislature last week, Bangs put together a "discussion paper" detailing what's known about the relationship between wolves, elk and livestock.

The paper comes as Montana, Wyoming and Idaho prepare to take over management of the wolves in the coming years. There have been significant public comment and concern from some about making sure that big-game herds are protected when wolves are no longer covered by the Endangered Species Act.

Bangs said there are fluctuations in elk numbers that can be attributed to wolves, but there are a number of other factors at play, too, including drought, winter severity, hunting and other animals.

An environmental impact statement written before wolves were introduced predicted that wolves might cause some elk herds to decline by 5 to 30 percent. When the population reductions exceeded that amount, wildlife managers would intervene to trim to wolf population and allow the elk to recover.

So far, Bangs said, that hasn't happened.

"To date, no significant effect on overall ungulate herd levels has been documented," he said, "and consequently no wolves have been moved to reduce predation pressure." He said there probably will be times when an elk population dips because of wolves. When that happens, he said, wildlife managers can take "control actions" against a specific pack until the elk herd bounces back.

Elk numbers healthy

In Wyoming, Bangs looked at all six elk herds surrounding Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Overall, the elk population of 34,255 is exceeding objectives, Bangs said.

At the National Elk Refuge near Jackson, elk numbers have topped state and federal objectives since 1987. Although the ratio between elk calves and cows—one of the key indicators of the health of an elk herd—is lower than in the early 1980s on the refuge, "it has not been determined that wolf predation is responsible," Bangs said.

"There has been a prolonged drought and herds not exposed to wolf predation have also witnessed similar decreases in cow/calf ratios," he said.

Bangs noted that Wyoming Game and Fish has been trying to reduce the number of elk around the national parks in recent years and has not scaled back the number of elk that can be hunted because of the wolves.

In Montana, all but one of the elk herds around Yellowstone are at or above the state's management goals.

In Yellowstone s Northern Range, the elk herd has averaged about 13,000 over the last 20 years, fluctuating between 9,000 and 19,000. Last winter, 12,000 were counted.

But a winter study of that elk population this year showed that the calf/cow ratio dropped to the lowest levels in more than 20 years.

Although many attributed the decline largely to wolf predation, Bangs said the drought is suspected as the major contributor "although wolves and other predators undoubtedly had some impact."

Researchers are still trying to pin down the relationship between elk and wolves. Several studies are continuing in and around Yellowstone, "but at this time the purported drastic effects claimed by some have not been documented by scientific inquiry," Bangs said.

Stock losses small

There has been ample documentation and publicity about wolves killing livestock. Although the killings can have a significant effect on individual ranchers, Bangs said, the overall impact has been small.

Since 1995, wolves are known to have killed 41 cattle, 256 sheep and 23 dogs in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

Before wolves were reintroduced, livestock producers estimated they were losing 8,340 cattle and 12,993 sheep a year, mostly from problems other than predation.

Bangs said livestock losses to wolves are a fraction of the losses caused by predators. Last year, wolves were known to be responsible for 1 percent of the cattle killed by predators and .4 percent of sheep killed by predators.

"This means that wolves caused the death of approximately three of every 10,000 cattle and 134 of every 10,000 sheep that died from all causes last year in the three states," Bangs said. Despite that, he said, the Fish and Wildlife Service treats livestock depredation as a serious issue.

He acknowledged there are times when wolves kill livestock but it is never documented.

So far, 34 wolves have been killed for attacking livestock and 42 more have been relocated.

The Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to request removing the wolves from the Endangered Species List early next year. Management of the wolves will then be turned over to Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

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