O-Six facts for kids

O-Six (born 2006, died 2012) was a famous female gray wolf. She was also known as 832F. Her death by hunting just outside Yellowstone National Park caused many people to talk about wolf hunting rules. A popular book called American Wolf was written about her life. It also discussed how wolves are protected in the Yellowstone region.

The Life of O-Six

O-Six was the leader, or "alpha female," of the Lamar Canyon wolf pack. This pack lived in Yellowstone National Park. She was born in 2006 into a different pack called Agate Creek. People often called her by the year she was born. She was part of the fourth generation of wolves born in Yellowstone. This was after wolves were brought back to the park in 1995.

Early Life and Fame

When O-Six was three years old in 2010, she left her birth pack. She then started her own group, the Lamar Canyon pack. This pack lived in the Lamar River valley. This area was easy for visitors and scientists to reach. Because of this, many people could watch the wolves. As the alpha female, O-Six was one of the most seen wolves in Yellowstone. Many photos were taken of her. People even called her a "rock star" among wolves.

Life Outside the Park

After several years, O-Six was caught and given a special radio tracking collar. This collar helped scientists follow her movements. Her collar number was 832F. O-Six had three groups of pups before her pack was broken up by another wolf pack.

O-Six and the rest of her pack then wandered into new areas. They left the park, where hunting is not allowed. They appeared on private land to the east, near Crandall, Wyoming. This happened during Wyoming's 2012 wolf hunting season. During that season, eight wolves were allowed to be hunted. O-Six was shot by a hunter on December 6, 2012. She was the eighth wolf legally hunted in Wyoming that year.

O-Six's Lasting Impact

News of O-Six's death was quickly shared by the New York Times. This led to a lot of discussion about O-Six and the rules for wolf hunting around Yellowstone. In 2017, a popular book called American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee was published. This book focused on O-Six's life. After the book came out, O-Six received even more attention in the media. She was also the subject of a National Geographic documentary. More discussions followed in 2018. This was when O-Six's daughter, 926F, was also shot in Montana.