Sound of the Season

A gray wolf converses with other members of its pack while pausing in the deep winter snow of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.  To hear a wolf or pack of wolves howling is one of the great sounds nature and a sign that you are in a truly wild place.  Wolves howl to communicate with family members and to ward off other wolf packs from their territory.

Missing since the 1920's, 41 wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone in the winters of 1996 and 1996.  They were a necessary component in restoring a natural balance to the ecosystem.  From those original 41 wolves, there are now roughly 300 to 350 wolves in Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, and the surrounding area.  Yellowstone typically harbors between 80 and 110 wolves in 10 to 12 packs.  Grand Teton National Park and the area near the Jackson Hole Valley are home to approximately 6 to 10 packs.  Secretive and early seen, wolves are a symbol of true wilderness an important component in a diverse ecosystem.