Table 3. Group size and number of fecal samples collected from the investigated wolf packs in the three study areas, 2005–2009.

Study area	Winter of sample collection	Packs	Number of individuals/pack a	Number of collected fecal samples
Abruzzo	2006–2007	Iorio	6	13
		Orsara	3	19
		Villavalelonga	7	20
		Mainarde	9	27
		Total		79
	2007–2008	Iorio	4	10
		Orsara	6	58
		Villavalelonga	6	6
		Mainarde	5	12
		Total		86
Mercantour	2005–2006	Haute Tinée	3–4	18
		Moyenne Tinée	2–3	12
		Vésubie-Roya	3–5	10
		Vésubie-Tinée	3–5	21
		Total		61
	2006–2007	Haute Tinée	2–4	22
		Moyenne Tinée	2	3
		Vésubie-Roya	4–5	13
		Vésubie-Tinée	3–5	22
		Total		60
Yellowstone	2007–2008	Slough Creek	14	28
		Druid Peak	16	71
		Blacktail Deer Plateau	(not constituted yet)	-
		Total		99
	2008–2009	Slough Creek	(disappeared) b	-
		Druid Peak	16	34
		Blacktail Deer Plateau	7–10	31
		Total		65

Abruzzo: Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise National Park; Mercantour: Mercantour National Park; Yellowstone: Yellowstone National Park.

^a Abruzzo: based on snow-tracking sessions [66]; Mercantour: based on snow-tracking sessions and genetic analyses performed on fecal samples [67,68,77]; Yellowstonebased on direct observations; variations are due to dispersal and death.

^b All pups born in the spring 2008 died, likely in a disease outbreak [49,78]. In summer and fall 2008, three yearlings and three adults died, partly in confrontations with neighboring groups and partly possibly from infectious disease [49]. The group was not found in the winter 2008–2009.