Abstract
Dispersal plays a central role in the persistence of wildlife populations, influencing genetic diversity, social structure, and responses to environmental change. In cooperative breeders like gray wolves (Canis lupus), dispersal decisions are shaped by complex interactions between ecological conditions, human pressures, and social dynamics. This thesis investigates two key components of wolf dispersal in Idaho: the decision to leave the natal territory and the factors influencing integration into new groups. Chapter 1 quantifies how harvest intensity, sex, prey biomass, and wolf abundance influence the probability of natal dispersal using genetic data from wolves harvested between 2017 and 2023. Chapter 2 explores social and human drivers of pack-level settlement patterns using non-invasive genetic scat sampling from 2008 to 2020, with a focus on pack size, relatedness, breeder turnover, and harvest pressure. Together, these chapters offer new insights into the drivers of wolf dispersal in a heavily managed landscape and highlight the value of genetic monitoring in systems where collaring is limited. This research advances our understanding of how external pressures and internal social structures of wolves interact to shape dispersal determinants and patterns and can inform wolf management strategies in Idaho.