Population Dynamics and Harvest Characteristics of Wolves in the Central Brooks Range, Alaska

• Published in: Wildlife Monographs
• Main Authors: ADAMS, LAYNE G., STEPHENSON, ROBERT O., DALE, BRUCE W., AHGOOK, ROBERT T., DEMMA, DOMINIC J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2008
• Subjects: Brooks Range; Canis lupus; Alaska
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/2008-012; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.2193%2F2008-012; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2193/2008-012

ABSTRACT Our understanding of wolf ( Canis lupus ) population dynamics in North America comes largely from studies of protected areas, at‐risk populations, and wolf control programs, although most North American wolves experience moderate levels of regulated harvest. During 1986–1992, we investigated the population dynamics and harvests of wolves in the newly created Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in northern Alaska, USA, where wolves were harvested by local residents. Our objectives were to determine wolf abundance, estimate important vital rates (i.e., productivity, survival, emigration), and characterize wolf harvests. We monitored 50 radiocollared wolves in 25 packs over 4 years (Apr 1987–Apr 1991) to assess patterns of dispersal, emigration, survival and mortality causes in the wolf population. We determined pack sizes, home ranges, and pups per pack in autumn (1 Oct) for instrumented wolf packs, and calculated wolf densities in autumn and spring (15 Apr) based on the number of wolves in instrumented packs and the aggregate area those packs inhabited. We also gathered information from local hunters and trappers on the timing, location, methods, and sex‐age composition of wolf harvests during 6 winter harvest seasons (Aug 1987–Apr 1992). Wolf densities averaged 6.6 wolves per 1,000 km 2 and 4.5 wolves per 1,000 km 2 in autumn and spring, respectively, and spring densities increased by 5% per year during our study. On average, pups constituted 50% of the resident wolf population each autumn. An estimated 12% of the population was harvested annually. Natural mortality, primarily intraspecific strife, equaled 11% per year. Young wolves emigrated from the study area at high annual rates (47% and 27% for yearlings and 2‐yr‐olds, respectively), and we estimated the emigration rate for the population at ≥19% annually. Yearlings and 2‐year‐olds were lost from the population at rates of 60% per year and 45% per year, respectively, primarily as a result of emigration; mortality was the principal cause ...