"When a breeding wolf dies, its sex and the size of its pack can determine whether that pack continues, according to research published July online by the Journal of Animal Ecology. In 2012, biologists at Denali National Park and Preserve noted a drop in wolf sightings following the death of a breeding female from a pack that lived along the Denali Park Road. This was one of several instances where the death of an individual wolf from legal trapping or hunting sparked widespread attention in recent years. "This isn't the first time we have noticed that the loss of a breeding wolf can affect the fate of the pack. We thought it would be valuable to systematically look at what happens to the pack and population following the death of a breeder," said author Bridget Borg, a University of Alaska Fairbanks biology graduate student and National Park Service biologist. Borg's research looked at changes in wolf pack fate, reproduction and population growth following the death of breeders. "Given the park's current low wolf densities and small average pack sizes, we are concerned about harvest of wolves from packs that reside primarily within the park," said Don Striker, Superintendent of Denali National Park and Preserve. "The death of a breeding wolf could harm the packs that provide the greatest opportunities for park visitors to see a wolf in the wild, either through a lack of reproduction or the loss of the entire pack."" - Jessie