Jackson Hole Residents Told
To Expect Wandering Wolves

(This may be disconcerting news to Jackson Hole parents who have found security in the fact that their children don't have to brave the guns and knives of urban school environments. At least they'll still be safe once they're at school; it's just being eaten along the way that they have to watch out for.)

JACKSON, Wyo. —(AP)— Jackson Hole may soon have some unique visitors: wandering wolves from Yellowstone National Park.

Wolf pups born two years ago in Yellowstone will soon be searching for new territory, according to Ed Bangs of Helena, Mont., director of the federal wolf recovery program.

Bangs, who spoke to Jackson residents last week, said when wolves are about 2 1/2 years old, they typically start wandering.

"What you're going to see when wolves show up in new areas is wolf hysteria, both from people who love them and people who hate them," he said.

Wolves can be expected between now and February, Bangs said, because this is the usual time of year when the animals search for new terrain.

If it doesn't happen this year, it will almost certainly occur next year when more than 60 pups born in 1997 reach the wandering age, he said.

Land and wildlife managers were urged to work closely with residents to keep track of wolf sightings through the winter.

"As time goes on, more and more wolves are not going to be wearing radio collars," he said. "And the only way we can tell where they are is from people reporting them to us."

The duty of tracking wolves will go to two Wyoming-based experts to be hired by the U.S. fish and Wildlife Service by the end of the year.

The two will also handle problems that may arise as the wolves range to the south and east of Yellowstone.

Wolf managers plan to trap and collar at least one member of any packs that take up residence in new areas.

Doug Smith, head of the wolf recovery project in Yellowstone National Park, said people need not fear unchecked growth of wolf populations.

"It is not true that this will just continue to be exponential growth," said Smith.

Wolves have grown rapidly in number due to the abundance of prey in the park, but he said he expects numbers to level soon.

Wolf populations within desired habitat areas will be self-regulating because they establish territories and defend those vigorously from other packs and wandering wolves, he said.