Yellowstone's 'queen of the wolves' killed by rival pack after living to 11 years old and having 10 litters of pups

Yellowstone National Park has lost one of its most renowned and resilient inhabitants — a one-eyed, 11-year-old wolf who had a record-breaking 10 litters of pups over her long life.

Wolf 907F, affectionately known as the "Queen of the Wolves" for her dominant role within the Junction Butte pack, died on Christmas Day (Dec. 25, 2024) after a confrontation with a rival pack.

Wolf 907F more than doubled the typical lifespan expected of gray wolves in Yellowstone, which averages four to five years. Her longevity and her role as a matriarch made her a legendary figure within the park's ecosystem and among wildlife enthusiasts.

The events leading to her demise began on Dec. 22, when Wolf 907F and her cubs were feeding on a bison carcass on the north side of the Yellowstone River, according to Cowboy State Daily. Members of the rival Rescue Creek pack — typically confined to the southern bank — unexpectedly crossed the river and engaged in a brutal skirmish with 907F's group.

Although Wolf 907F survived the initial encounter, her injuries proved fatal. Her radio collar, monitored by Yellowstone biologists, signalled her lack of movement on Dec. 26, suggesting she had died the day prior.

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"It's sad. But specifically for all of us on the project, we always like to see a wolf die naturally, rather than at the hands of a human," Taylor Rabe, a wildlife technician with the Yellowstone Wolf Project, told Cowboy State Daily.

One of Yellowstone's oldest wolves

Wolf 907F was one of six recorded wolves to have lived to 11 years old since the animals were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995, according to the Smithsonian Magazine.

Wolf 907F was no stranger to adversity. Scientists suspected that she lost her left eye around the age of four, though the cause is uncertain. Wolf 907F also survived a case of mange — a contagious skin disease caused by microscopic mites that burrow into the skin and can be fatal.

Despite these setbacks, she continued to lead her pack effectively, even producing a litter of cubs in the spring of 2024, surprising researchers with her vitality at such an advanced age.

Wolf 907F had given birth to pups every year in the decade leading up to her death, starting from when she became sexually mature. Rabe told the Cowboy State Daily that this made her "the most reproductively successful wolf in Yellowstone History."