Yellowstone's Legendary Wolf 907F Defies Odds With 10th Litter

Photo byPhoto by Grégoire Bertaud on Unsplash

Wolf 907F, an alpha female grey wolf in Yellowstone National Park, recently gave birth to her 10th litter of pups at 11, a rare feat given that grey wolves typically live only three to four years. This longevity and prolificacy are believed to set a record for the park.

Grey wolves rarely reach such an advanced age, and Wolf 907F’s longevity is particularly notable since only about 1 in 250 wolves in Yellowstone survive to their 11th year. The oldest wolves in the park have lived up to 12.5 years. Wolf 907F, having spent her entire life in Yellowstone’s Northern Range, faces challenges such as high competition and territorial disputes with other wolf packs. Territorial fights are a leading cause of wolf mortality, though her large pack of 10 to 35 members provides some protection.

Wolf 907F's ability to navigate these challenges is impressive, given that she has only one functional eye. Despite this, she has continued to thrive, contributing valuable experience to her pack, which is beneficial in conflicts with rival packs. Her experience also helps her pack avoid road crossings and human encounters.

The Junction Butte pack, led by Wolf 907F, is notably successful, partly due to her seasoned leadership. Though her current litter of three pups is smaller than average, this decrease in litter size with age is expected. Some of her offspring have taken on leadership roles in other packs, though many pups do not reach adulthood due to the harsh realities of wolf life. Despite these challenges, Wolf 907F’s continued presence and success highlight her remarkable resilience and adaptability.