Do wolves have a place in the ecosystem Wolves Wolves are predators Predators keep prey populations under control they cull the herd and keep it healthy Cull to remove certain members usually the sick or old animals ID: 385196
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Slide1
Reintroduction of Wolves Into Yellowstone National ParkSlide2
Do wolves have a place
in the ecosystem?Wolves
Wolves are predators
.
Predators keep prey populations under control - they
cull
the herd and keep it healthy.
Cull: to remove certain members, usually the sick or old animals. Slide3
Wolves
But wolves have a bad reputation because they kill other animals for food…
And they have been known to attack domestic livestock.
This impacts ranchers and farmers.Slide4
Wolves
After the Civil War, ranching and
farming expanded into the wolves’ territory, pushing them into smaller hunting areas.
With human expansion, herd animals became more scarce. Wolves soon found domestic livestock to be an easy meal.
Before the Civil War, there were few people to interfere with wolves. Their main source of food was herd animals such as buffalo, elk, and deer.Slide5
The wolves were considered
varmints because they attacked domestic livestock.Therefore, wolves became targets. Ranchers, farmers, and hunters killed them in great numbers.
Wolves
By the 1930’s, gray wolves were virtually eliminated from the lower 48 states, even in Yellowstone National Park.
The government even offered bounties
for every wolf killed.Slide6
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872 to conserve nature and wildlife.
Bison, elk, grizzly bears, countless birds, small mammals, and numerous species of plants live in the park.Slide7
Yellowstone National Park
As a result of the loss of wolves in the park, coyotes became one of the top predators.
But coyotes did not cull the herds the way wolves were able to.Slide8
Yellowstone National Park
Without the wolves, the elk population in Yellowstone increased. The large herds roamed the park, eating wide swaths of vegetation and degrading the habitat, especially along creeks and river beds.Slide9
Yellowstone National Park
In order to manage the large populations of herd animals, hunting was encouraged in the park.
Even park rangers eliminated many of the elk in order to reduce their population. Slide10
Controversy
The hunting of elk in Yellowstone National Park attracted the attention of the public.
It was not popular.
Why couldn’t a natural predator be used to control the populations of the herd animals?Slide11
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973 to protect plants and animals whose numbers were so low that they might become extinct.
Species were not only to be protected, but brought back from the brink of extinction if possible. Slide12
Wolves
The passing of the Endangered Species Act proved to be a salvation for the wolves.
Because their numbers were so low, they were placed on the endangered species list.
Reintroduction
of the wolves to their native habitat would be a way to recover their numbers.
A plan was devised to restore a balanced ecosystem to Yellowstone National Park.Slide13
Controversy
The first written plan for reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park was released to the
public in 1980.
The plan generated arguments among ecologists, ranchers, and farmers
.
Ranchers and farmers didn’t want wolves around to kill their livestock.
Ecologists wanted to restore the wolves to the unbalanced ecosystem in Yellowstone.Slide14
Solution
The next 15 years saw numerous debates, town meetings, and media coverage either for or against the reintroduction of the wolves.
It was resolved in 1995 and a plan was accepted to restore the wolves to Yellowstone.Slide15
Fourteen wolves from various packs were captured in Alberta, Canada in 1995 and brought to Yellowstone.
They were kept in large enclosures called wolf pens for 10 weeks in order to acclimate to each other, the weather, and the new territory.
Wolf Recovery Plan
Gray wolf in preparation for transport to Yellowstone National Park.Slide16
Upon release, 3 packs formed from the fourteen wolves.
They quickly adapted to hunting elk and small game, spread out their range, raised pups, and became strong packs.
Wolf Recovery Slide17
A second release of wolves in 1996 resulted in the formation of four more wolf packs.
Fourteen surviving pups were counted the following year.
After this success, it was believed that the wolves could maintain their numbers, and no more releases were planned.
Wolf RecoverySlide18
Results
Livestock loss, which ranchers feared, was insignificant.
Elk populations were not decimated, as feared. In fact the size of the herds are healthy.
Wolf reintroduction was less costly than anticipated.Slide19
Results
Before the wolves were introduced, the elk lingered along the stream beds and trampled the area.
Since the reintroduction of the wolves, the
elk keep moving – less damage is done to the riparian zone.
The riparian zone has recovered. Slide20
Yellowstone…
The addition of the wolves to Yellowstone enhances the experience for numerous visitors.Slide21
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/graywolf/
Click on the following link to watch a video of wolves.Slide22
www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/wolves.htm
www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/wolfrest.htm
www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/wolves.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/wolves-yellowstone.html
References and More Information