Yellowstone is considered by many to be the best place in the world to observe wild wolves. As a consequence, more and more wildlife enthusiasts are visiting Yellowstone. This has led, in turn, to new conflicts between wolves and Park visitors. The Wolf Ambassador Program was established to proactively manage visitors and wolves so that wolf habituation is prevented and visitors are educated about important wildlife watching etiquette and safety. Funds for this project are used to pay for two seasonal interpretive Rangers to work in the Tower/Lamar and Hayden Valley areas. These Rangers make contact with visitors who are looking for wolves, help mitigate traffic hazards and wolf-human encounters, and present formal campfire programs in Park campgrounds and amphitheaters. A pilot of this program was successfully conducted during the summer of 2005 and the winter of 2005-2006. It was continued during the summer of 2006 with Wolf Ambassadors contacting 32,336 visitors in the field and presenting 242 formal interpretive talks and evening programs. Private funding has been raised to support this program through the summer of 2008.
Total Project Cost: $32,225 per year