From the artist: She was the most famous wolf in the world born in Yellowstone in 2006. She was idolized in the New York Times, PBS , the LA Times, London’s Daily Mail and National Geographic. She outran other wolf packs, chose and ditched 5 suitors in one season and ran her own pack as the alpha. She was considered the best hunter in the park and according to the rangers she was “drop dead gorgeous.” She outran the rangers who collared the wolves in the park until 2012 when Ranger Smith landed a dart in her back from a plane and collared her with a GPS research collar. The collars allow the rangers to track the wolf packs migration and pack health and activity. The tracking showed 06’s pack left the park soon after the collaring and her mate was killed. Outside the park, hunters can take 8 wolves a year without a permit and 06’s mate was the 7th wolf. A few weeks later, the pack ventured several miles past the park’s perimeter and 06 became the 8th wolf killed that year legally outside the park.

Half of the wolves killed outside the perimeter of Yellowstone that year work tracking collars. There are some who think that 06’s fame contributed to her death and the tracking collar as well. Blog posts listed the frequency to scan collars and how to turn them off with a magnet when the wolf was shot.