The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) removed ten wolves from the Lolo Zone in the central part of the state in an effort to improve elk survival. The operation began in late February and is consistent with Idaho’s Wolf Conservation and Management Plan.
The Lolo elk population declined drastically over the last 25 years, from 16,000 elk to fewer than 1,000 elk in recent years. IDFG biologists estimated 2,000 elk in the Zone when it was surveyed last winter. Short-term goals for the Lolo elk population outlined in the 2014 Elk Management Plan include stabilizing the population and helping it grow.
Find more information here.
(Photo source: Idaho Department of Fish and Game)