Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
flocked to the Lamar Valley to watch the drama unfold. Much of Cinderella's life
was captured on film by Bob Landis for two
National Geographic
specials.
In a story that plays out like a fairy tale, wolf 42 got her nieces to den with her in
2000 when she had another litter of pups with 21, and after researchers saw wolf 40
approaching the den just before the pups were weaned, ostensibly to kill this second
litter of pups, 42 and her nieces attacked. Wolf 40 was found dying of her wounds,
and 42 not only rose to alpha status overnight, paired for life with wolf 21, but she
also moved into 40's den and adopted her dead sister's seven pups as her own. That
year 42 and 21 raised 20 pups.
Over the course of her life—eight years, which is more than double wolf lifespan
averages—she birthed 32 pups and held her alpha-female status over the Druid Pack,
which climbed to 37 members in 2000, one of the largest wolf packs ever recorded.
She was noted for her faithful and patient parenting, even coaching younger wolves
in the middle of an elk hunt. When she was killed by another pack in February 2004,
wolf watchers noted wolf 21, her constant companion, atop a ridgeline howling for
two days straight. The wolf watchers mourned along with him.
After receiving a mortality signal from 42's radio collar, chief park wolf biologist
Doug Smith hiked up the 9,000-foot Specimen Ridge on a blustery winter day. There
he found Cinderella dead. She was the last remaining member of the 31 wolves im-
ported from Canada, but her legacy and her story will be forever entwined with the
Yellowstone wilderness and the saga of
Canis lupus
finally coming home.
But there's good news too. If seeing the wolves is a high priority for you, here are five
ways to improve your odds:
•
Visit in winter.
Wolves are most active and most visible (nearest to the roads and against
a white backdrop) in the winter when they have significant advantages over their
prey, including elk and bison. Spring and fall can offer viewing opportunities as well,
but summer visitors are at a disadvantage because the wolves are often way up in
the high country, far from roads. Whenever you go, don't forget your binoculars or a
scope if you have one.
•
Do your homework or hire a guide.
Stop at the visitors center in Mammoth in winter
(or any of the visitors centers at other times of year) and inquire about recent activ-
ity. Rangers can often tell you where packs have been spotted, if kills have recently
occurred, and so forth. You could also consider hiring a guide that specializes in wolf
watching.
The Wild Side, LLC
(406/223-6634,
www.wolftracker.com
,
$575/day for
