A few days later a crew hiked in to investigate and found 495’s carcass in the snow. He had suffered traumatic injuries, most likely from a bison kick. Even past his prime at nine years of age, 495 was an amazing specimen. At the time of his collaring in 2005, he weighed 143 pounds, making him one of the largest Yellowstone wolves on record. With his dark coat and massive head, he resembled a juvenile black bear lumbering across the snow. Many of his male offspring had grown up to be almost as formidable as their father.
“A few days later a crew hiked in to investigate and found 495’ s carcass in the snow. He had suffered traumatic injuries, most likely from a bison kick. Even past his prime at nine years of age, 495 was an amazing specimen. At the time of his collaring in 2005, he weighed 143 pounds, making him one of the largest Yellowstone wolves on record. With his dark coat and massive head, he resembled a juvenile black bear lumbering across the snow. Many of his male offspring had grown up to be almost as formidable as their father.”
