Highlighting the need to balance human activity with wildlife needs, Grand Teton National Park officials announced Tuesday that an area near the denning Teton Pack of wolves would be closed to human use to protect the animals.

The area around Elk Ranch Flats, just south of Moran Junction, has been a den site for the Teton Pack since 1999. There is a wildlife viewing area - a knoll near the denning site - used for viewing wolves. It will now be closed until at least July 1.

A seasonal closure is typical for this area, but this year is the first the observation area will be closed. This year's closed area has been expanded by several hundred yards west of the historic closure boundaries.

"The Teton Pack has recently exhibited signs of distress, potentially resulting from human disturbance," the park said in a release. "Observance of this wildlife closure will reduce unnecessary stress on the Teton Pack during an especially sensitive time of year."

Young pups are particularly vulnerable to human presence, the agency said.

- Whitney Royster