Visitor Management and Outreach

Some days hundreds of visitors from all over the world gather along the road in Yellowstone to see the wolves and possibly get a photograph. Area closures and no-stopping zones protect denning areas, discourage visitors from parking their vehicles outside esta­blished pullouts, and prevent visitors from stopping near wolves trying to cross the road near their dens. For the first six weeks after wolves are born in the spring, wolf pups are sensitive to disturbance and the areas around dens must be closed to visitor access. A wolf pack may aban­don its den if disturbed, and being left behind in a den or exposed to the elements while traveling or being carried to a new den poses a threat to the survival of pups. Areas where visitors come to watch wolves must also be monitored to make sure that no one tries to approach or feed the wolves, which could cause wolves to lose their fear of humans by becoming accustomed to their presence. The Druid Road Management Project consists of two people hired through the Yellowstone Park Foundation, with a grant from the Twin Spruce Foundation, and one volunteer who manage wolf viewing in Lamar Valley by directing traffic and providing information to visitors. The goals of this project are: 1) human safety—control parking and traffic congestion along the road to protect motorists and those viewing wolves, and; 2) wolf safety—protect wolves from vehicle strikes, permit wolves to cross the road without human interference, and protect the den area from visitor intrusion; 3) visitor enjoyment—provide opportunities for visitors to view and learn about wolves and other wildlife ecology; and 4) wolf monitoring and research—maintain opportunities for scientists to study the denning behavior, predation activity, and interactions of wolves with other wildlife. In 2004, wolves were able to cross the road on 81% of their first attempts during the 126-day monitoring period. In 2005, the Druid Peak pack did not return to their traditional den site near the road, but large numbers of visitors stopped to observe the Slough Creek pack's den, which was visible from the Northeast Entrance Road and from the Slough Creek Campground Road. An area of about one square mile centered on the den site was closed to the public until July 1.