Idaho mammals

Gray Wolf in Idaho

Canis lupus

Native to Idaho S4 Apparently Secure in Idaho

Not listed as nonindigenous in Idaho by USGS NAS; native to its Idaho range.

IUCN Red List status

  1. LC
  2. NT
  3. VU
  4. EN
  5. CR
  6. EW
  7. EX

LC – Least Concern

Widespread and abundant; not at risk.

Silver-gray wolf walking along a gravel bank in AlaskaCream-colored gray wolf walking through dry grass with its mouth openBlack-phase gray wolf standing in a meadow at duskGray wolf resting in open grasslandGray wolf standing in snow and facing the camera
Photo: Robbie Hannawacker · CC0Silver-gray wolf walking along a gravel bank in AlaskaPhoto: Alejandro Santillana · CC0A pale, cream-phase wolf on the move in Yellowstone. Coat color spans cream to coal black.Photo: Piotr Lukasik · CC BY 4.0A black-phase wolf in a Yellowstone meadow at last light.Photo: mefisher · CC0A wolf beds down in open grassland, tail tucked alongside.Photo: Norma Malinowski · CC BY 4.0A gray wolf in winter coat. From the front, the wide head and short rounded ears are unmistakable.

Gray Wolf in Idaho, by the numbers

Occasional in Idaho 48th most recorded of 123 mammals logged in Idaho

116 occurrence records
86 with iNaturalist photos
Aug 31, 2025 Last seen in Idaho

Records from 2000–2026.

116 total records count every Idaho occurrence from GBIF and iNaturalist; the map plots a georeferenced sample of 114; the monthly chart covers the 114 records with a full observation date.

Field encounter

Where and when you're most likely to encounter a Gray Wolf

Most active: Idaho, in June to September.

Where
IdahoID
When
June to September

Observe from a distance and give it room. Never approach, corner, or feed one.

When to be most aware of the Gray Wolf in Idaho

Most sightings fall in June to September.

114 Idaho occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) by month of year, 2000–2026. Shows when the species is recorded, not a guarantee of presence.

Monthly Idaho records (table)
MonthRecords
January1
February3
March3
April7
May7
June18
July18
August18
September15
October9
November11
December4

Monthly gray wolf occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) in Idaho, 2000–2026.

Seasonality

Year-round in Idaho, with recorded sightings peaking in June–September, with a smaller rise in November.

Occurrence map

Where Gray Wolf has been recorded in Idaho

114 records mapped · zoom and drag to explore

114 Idaho records mapped

Where gray wolf encounters are recorded

Park, forest, or monumentiNaturalist records
Indian Creek Reservoir Access Site 1
Boise National Forest 1

Protected places with the most gray wolf records, from the USGS Protected Areas Database plus named mountain ranges, where encounters are most often recorded, not a full breakdown, so they don't sum to the total. Keep your distance and never approach one.

Where it's recorded in Idaho

CountyRecords
Idaho County 22
Valley County 12
Custer County 9
Boise County 8
Latah County 8
Clearwater County 5
Boundary County 4
Blaine County 4
Bonner County 4
Elmore County 4
Benewah County 3
Payette County 3
16 other counties 30

The complete county distribution, spread across 28 Idaho counties. Every occurrence record falls in one county, so these sum to the total. Counties from GBIF and US Census boundaries.

Idaho is one of the few US states with a genuinely wild, self-sustaining gray wolf population, restored through the 1990s reintroduction into the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness after wolves were trapped and poisoned out of the region by the early 1900s. The 116 records here trace that rugged central Idaho core, along with Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Boise National Forest’s deep canyons and alpine basins.

Records build through summer to a plateau from June through August, more than 15 times the January low, a pattern that likely tracks pack movement and increased howling activity during pup-rearing season alongside heavier monitoring effort during that stretch. NatureServe rates the species S4, apparently secure, in Idaho, a notably healthier statewide status than the wolf carries in most of the Lower 48.

Occurrence data from iNaturalist and GBIF.

Gray Wolf in other states

View all states →

Silver-gray wolf walking along a gravel bank in Alaska
Full species profile Gray Wolf Canis lupus Size 1.1–1.6 m3.4–5.2 ft Weight 23–80 kg50.7–176.4 lb Lifespan Up to 20.6 yr View the full profile

More mammals in Idaho in the atlas

Data & sources

The data and visualizations on this page draw on these open sources:

  • GBIFCC-BY 4.0occurrence records behind the range map, elevation, and record counts
  • iNaturalistCC0 / CC-BY / CC-BY-SAobservations, photos, and audio recordings
  • NatureServe ExplorerCC-BYthe state conservation rank
  • IUCN Red Listattributed factthe global conservation status
  • USGS NASpublic domainnative / introduced status
  • Natural Earthpublic domainthe relief basemap
  • USFSpublic domainnational-forest boundaries
  • USGS Protected Areas Databasepublic domainthe named parks, forests, and refuges behind "notable places to look"