Wildlife Photographer Sylvia Borgonovo, Known for Yellowstone Wolf Images, Dies at 65
Sylvia Borgonovo, a self-taught wildlife photographer renowned for her connection to Yellowstone National Park, passed away on September 15 at the age of 65 following a short fight with small-cell lung cancer that had spread to her spine. She was set to celebrate her 66th birthday on October 7. Her husband, David, expressed his shock over her loss. Borgonovo gained recognition for her striking images of 1090F, a 12-year-old alpha female from the Mollie's Pack, recognized as the oldest living wolf in Yellowstone. Her passion for wildlife photography ignited in 1997 during a family trip to Alaska, and she eventually relocated to Missoula, Montana, dedicating her summers to capturing the essence of wolves and grizzly bears in West Yellowstone.
Key facts
- Sylvia Borgonovo died September 15 at age 65 from small-cell lung cancer that had metastasized to her spine.
- She would have turned 66 on October 7.
- Borgonovo was known for photographs of 1090F, a 12-year-old alpha female of the Mollie's Pack and Yellowstone's oldest-known living wolf.
- 1090F is now the fifth-oldest known wolf in Yellowstone National Park history.
- The Mollie's Pack is thought to be the first pack established after wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone in the mid-1990s.
- Borgonovo began wildlife photography during a family trip to Alaska in 1997, where she photographed bears.
- She and her husband David moved to Missoula, Montana, and later rented an apartment in West Yellowstone, staying from May 1 through October 31 each year.
- In 2025, she photographed the Mollie's Pack moving into an area occupied by the Junction Butte Wolf Pack and pushing them away without a major fight.
Entities
Artists
- Sylvia Borgonovo
- David Borgonovo
Institutions
- Yellowstone National Park
- Cowboy State Daily
- PetaPixel
- Mollie's Pack
- Junction Butte Wolf Pack
- Wapiti Lake Wolf Pack
Locations
- Yellowstone National Park
- Alaska
- Missoula
- Montana
- West Yellowstone
- United States