Wolves at a Glance

• 846 wolves, 88 packs of which 39 are considered breeding packs. About 1,500 are found in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
• 84 wolves in 50 packs have radio collars in December 2008.

• Wolves are found from the Canadian border to near Interstate 84 in southern Idaho, with most in the national forests of the central part of the state.
• Most of this year's population growth has been in the Panhandle; the population south of Interstate 90 has increased only slightly.

• Wolf packs typically include a breeding pair, their offspring, and other non-breeding adults. The average pack size is 8.1 animals.
• Wolves are capable of mating by age two or three; sometimes form lifelong bond.
• Wolves can live 13 years and reproduce past 10 years.
• An average of five pups are born in early spring. They and are cared for by the entire pack. For the first six weeks, pups are reared in dens.
• Dens are often used year after year.
• Pups depend on mother's milk for the first month, then weaned and fed regurgitated meat brought by pack members.
• By seven to eight months, pups begin traveling with the adults.
• After a year or two, wolves may leave and try to find a mate and form a pack.
• Lone, dispersing wolves have traveled as far as 600 miles in search of a new home.
• Wolf packs live within territories that they defend from other wolves.
• Territories range from 50 square miles to more than 1,000 square miles.
• Wolves travel as far as 30 miles in a day to hunt.
• They trot at about 5 miles per hour, but they can run as fast as 40 miles per hour for short distances.

• Wolves were removed from the federal Endangered Species List in May. Since then Idaho Fish and Game has been the lead agency in wolf management.
• Idaho continues to monitor wolves and make annual reports to U.S. Fish and Wildlife for at least the following five years.
• Wolf hunting seasons have been set by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission under guidelines set out in the 2008 Wolf Population Management Plan.

• When wolves are delisted, Idaho Fish and Game would be the lead agency in wolf management.
• Idaho would continue to monitor wolves and make annual reports to U.S. Fish and Wildlife for at least the following five years.
• Any wolf hunting seasons would be set by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission under guidelines set out in the 2008 Wolf Population Management Plan.