Greater Yellowstone and Wolves

Yellowstone National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Eco-system are essentially the same as they were before European-American’s started settling the Western United States, with the exception of a few developed towns such as Jackson Hole. This area has turned the clock backwards another notch, beneficially, with the re-introduction of the wolf, an apex predator. Apex Predators are critical to any eco-system, because they are at the top of the food chain, hence the term apex. This makes them an important indicator of the state of any eco-system, and one we can gauge the overall health of the wilderness by. With the wolf back in the GYE, a critical missing component of the eco-system has been restored, and we are already beginning to see the impact of having Yellowstone's 'top dog' back in its natural habitat. The park and surrounding areas have become much healthier as a result.

A wolf circling a kill that has been stolen by a grizzly bear.

Though wolves and men do not always co-exist peacefully, they can, if we take strides to understand the wolf and its needs, and see how we can accommodate them at the same time we tend to the needs of our own citizens who have chosen to make this beautiful area their home.

Arguments against the re-introduction of wolves to the GYE have been many, and the fight still goes on to this day. Ranchers and others in the area have valid concerns about wolves that need to be addressed with sensitivity, such as wolves that kill cattle, sheep and other domesticated animals. In fact, many people would dearly love to see the wolf eradicated again from the area. I believe that most of this attitude is present because people misunderstand wolves and their place within the eco-system, as well as misunderstanding that there are steps we can take to keep the wolf population in check, and provide safety for our domesticated animals.

As an apex predator, wolves keep elk, bison and deer populations in check. They also thin out the old and diseased animals from the herd, keeping the herd healthier. Wolf kills often feed grizzlies, who take over the kills when the happen upon them, much to the chagrin of the wolves. After all, who’s going to argue with a thousand pound (about 450 kilo’s) Grizzly bear?

Wolf kills also feed a number of smaller animals such as crow, eagle, fox, coyote, etc. giving them an edge, especially during the tough wintertime when food is needed most. Wolves tend to keep coyote populations down, which leaves more food for the fox population. Elk numbers being kept down means more aspen trees growing to full size as the elk tend to stay out of open areas where they might browse on these young trees. This means more food for beavers. The list of effects the wolf has on the eco-system just keeps going on and on, in an effect called a Trophic Cascade. This is why they are such a critical component of the GYE. Somehow we must find a way to co-exist with these animals, to keep Greater Yellowstone healthy.