Wolf Populations for those that learned to Count from Idaho Or Montana. I enlarged the Graphic for those that need Glasses
WILD WOLF POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) were once among the most widely distributed wild mammals. They inhabited most of the available land in the northern hemisphere. Due to the destruction of their habitat and persecution by humans, they now occupy only about two-thirds of their former range worldwide, and about 10 percent of their historic range in the continental 48 United States. Gray wolf populations according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
WESTERN GREAT LAKE STATES
» Minnesota: 2,221 (2015); Status: Federal protection reinstated via court order December 2014. More information.
» Wisconsin: 746 (2015); Status: Federal protection reinstated via court order December 2014. More information.
» Michigan: 636 (2015); Status: Federal protection reinstated via court order December 2014. More information.
» Isle Royale National Park: 2 (updated 2016); Status: Federal protection reinstated via court order December 2014. More information.
NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES
» Idaho: 786 (2016); Status: Population state managed. Idaho’s wolf management plan includes an annual harvest season.More information.
» Montana: 536 (2016); Status: Population state managed. Montana’s wolf management plan includes an annual harvest season. More information.
» Wyoming: 382 (2016); Status: Federal protection reinstated via court order September 2014
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
» California: As many as 3 at times (2016); Status: federally protected.
» Oregon: 110 (2016); Status: Wolves throughout Oregon were delisted from the state Endangered Species Act (ESA) on November 9, 2015. Wolves remain federally protected in western portion of the state (west of Hwys 395-78-95.More information.
» Washington: 90 (2016); Status: State/tribe managed in the eastern third of the state. Federally protected in the western portion.
The researchers also identified significant flaws in how the two states count wolves, pinpointing significant problems with how Idaho and Montana estimate wolf populations.
In order to determine the estimated wolf population, Idaho uses a mean or median pack size to estimate wolves in packs that are documented with incomplete member counts. In essence what that means is that they only count the number of wolves in several packs — 27 in 2014 — then use the median pack size (6.5 in 2014) to extrapolate the wolf population based on the presence of 77 packs. Thus, while Idaho officials only actually saw 184 wolves last year, they nevertheless assert that Idaho had a minimum count of 770 wolves.
This untrustworthy non factual counting methodology leaves a very large margin for error and has a very strong probability of overestimating their actual wolf population. The fact that despite liberal wolf hunting and trapping seasons, harvest totals have decreased by almost 25 percent since delisting, to a prudent individual would strongly suggest the population is not stable but declining.
SOUTHWEST (MEXICAN GRAY WOLVES)
» Arizona: 50 (2016); Status: federally protected with exceptions as a nonessential experimental popuation.
» New Mexico: 47 (2016); Status: federally protected with exceptions as a nonessential experimental popuation. Fact Sheet re: 2015 Final Rule courtesy USFWS.
» U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Mexican Wolf Recovery Reports.
ALASKA
» Alaska: 7,700 – 11,200 (2016); Status: Population state managed as both a big game animal and a furbearer, management includes intensive predator control programs. More information.