We studied the dynamics of a wolf (Canis lupus) population recovering from
intensive reduction in the Finlayson Lake area, Yukon, Canada. Within 6 yea
rs, numbers increased from 29 wolves, then stabilized at 245. The colonizat
ion of vacant territories by young wolf pairs was the primary mechanism of
early population recovery. Reproduction and a low dispersal rate increased
pack size in later years, and pack splitting allowed dispersing wolves to r
emain near natal packs. The rate of increase in the wolf population was den
sity-dependent and related to wolf density, but was also related to the dis
persal rate. The dispersal rate was density-independent and related to mean
pack size and prey biomass : wolf index. The survival rate was age-depende
nt and not related to wolf density. In the early years of recovery, the rat
e of increase was supported by high survival rates and low dispersal rates.
In later years, dispersal rates increased, stabilizing mean pack size and
wolf density. Wolf density stabilized at levels predicted by the prey suppl
y, but whether the wolf population is regulated by the availability of prey
resources remains unresolved. Wolf density, pack density, and mean pack si
ze were similar in 1983 and 1996, despite a 2- to 3-fold difference in prey
biomass. We suggest that the interaction of wolf density and mean pack siz
e in stable prey systems needs to be studied to determine the roles played
by food supply and wolf social behavior in regulating wolf abundance.