Yellowstone’s wolf population declined by 27 percent last year, likely the result of wolf-on-wolf conflicts and disease, according to park officials.

The wolf population declined from 171 animals in 2007 to 124 animals last year.

The park also observed a 40 percent drop in the number of breeding pairs — from 10 to six.

The decline in breeding pairs could have implications for wolf management in Wyoming. A proposed state management plan seeks to maintain 15 breeding pairs, with eight of those inside Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks and seven in the northwest corner of the state outside the park.

Park biologists predicted a decline in the wolf population late last winter after observing conflicts among packs in a dense population.

Most of the decline in 2008 occurred in the northern range, where the population fell 40 percent, from 94 to 56 animals. Wolves in the park’s interior fared better, dropping only 11 percent, from 77 to 68 animals.

“We’re not thinking that this decline threatens the long-term viability [of the population] or requires some emergency intervention,” said Glenn Plumb, Yellowstone’s chief of aquatic and wildlife resources.

Nevertheless, Plumb said park biologists will monitor the situation carefully. Plumb said the park is particularly interested in canine distemper, a virus transmitted from animal to animal that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems of infected animals.

Plumb said mange is another culprit that affects individual animals, especially pups. Mange is a parasitic skin infection that can result in hair loss, and animals that die often succumb to hypothermia.

Yellowstone experienced a similar decline in the park wolves from 2004 to 2005 when the population dropped from 171 animals to 118 animals.