A Wolf's Impact on the Environment
|
Wolves have been out of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, for around 70 years. During that time, there has been a drastic change in the ecosystem’s growth and efficiency, starting from the saplings to the wild elk. Because of this drastic change, the park decided to reintroduce wolves and have been analyzing and taking in evidence as to why wolves are such a big impact on the ecosystem of Yellowstone.
In 1872, when Yellowstone was founded, it became a law of the park that “wanton destruction” of any animals in the park was strictly prohibited. Of course, this was before any biologist knew the importance of the balance of an ecosystem, so they viewed as a wolf’s way of hunting to be “wanton destruction”. They hunted and killed elk, leaving some carcasses viewable to the park’s visitors. In an attempt to stop what they believed was destruction, they began killing the wolves in Yellowstone and around the country between the years of 1914-mid 1900s. By 1926, wolves were completely wiped out from Yellowstone’s ecosystem. |
This all changed in 1995 when the US Fish and Wildlife Service decided that it was time to reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone. They teamed up with Canadian wildlife biologists in order to capture wolves up in Canada. They relocated them into a temporary pen where they were fed prey that they would be hunting in Yellowstone. The biologists made sure to stay away from the wolves so they wouldn’t get used to humans. They were all radio-collared and released in the Yellowstone environment.
In the 70 years that wolves didn’t exist in Yellowstone, it caused a ripple effect that destroyed the ecosystem of this National Park. Because elk no longer felt the territorial pressure of wolves, they often grazed in the same spots and didn’t migrate around the park. This prevented aspen and willow trees to grow along with grass and other vegetation. Because no trees were present, it prevented beavers from buildings dams in the rivers. No dams meant no lakes or ponds for fish to settle.
The coyote population was abundant in the park because wolves no longer drove them away. They decreased the populations of rodents and other small prey that was necessary for the hunting of foxes, eagles, and other predators. Because of the decreased populations of these small rodents, we saw the disappearance of the scavenger species.
In the 70 years that wolves didn’t exist in Yellowstone, it caused a ripple effect that destroyed the ecosystem of this National Park. Because elk no longer felt the territorial pressure of wolves, they often grazed in the same spots and didn’t migrate around the park. This prevented aspen and willow trees to grow along with grass and other vegetation. Because no trees were present, it prevented beavers from buildings dams in the rivers. No dams meant no lakes or ponds for fish to settle.
The coyote population was abundant in the park because wolves no longer drove them away. They decreased the populations of rodents and other small prey that was necessary for the hunting of foxes, eagles, and other predators. Because of the decreased populations of these small rodents, we saw the disappearance of the scavenger species.
|
With wolves back in the ecosystem, it made the elk move around the park more to avoid coming into contact with wolves. Their stomping hooves dug up the soil, allowing wildflowers to quickly grow. With wildflowers came insects that benefitted from them, and the insects provided food for the songbirds that came from the newly growing aspen that the elk were no longer eating. When the elk leave, it allows the vegetation to fully come back.
When wolves hunt, they often hunt in packs and go after the elk herds. They single out certain elk in the herd that they recognize as weak, old, or sick. Because of this, it strengthens the herd since it leaves the strong and fit elk alive to reproduce. When they kill an elk, they do not eat the entire carcass. They are not killing for sport, but simply leaving it for later so they do not have to always hunt. Since they leave it, it provides food for scavenging species like eagles, coyotes and bears and their cubs. |
|
One of the main controversies with wolves is that they are labeled as “cruel” and “vicious” by farmers that lose some of their livestock in areas where wolves live. However, wolves are usually never the case when it comes to dead livestock. There are more reports of coyotes, disease, bears, and weather that have caused the death of livestock. However, because of the horrible stereotype that people have of wolves, it causes them to jump to conclusions and be viewed as nothing but killers in an ecosystem.
After the destruction of the many wolves in the United States, a man by the name of Aldo Leopold started to notice the change in the ecosystem after the wolves were killed off. Although he was charged with killing wolves in New Mexico, he realized his mistakes soon after when he saw the boom of the elk population, the decrease of other populations, and the downfall of the once beautiful ecosystems. He began to realize that predators, like wolves, are responsible for the beautiful ecosystem around us.
After the destruction of the many wolves in the United States, a man by the name of Aldo Leopold started to notice the change in the ecosystem after the wolves were killed off. Although he was charged with killing wolves in New Mexico, he realized his mistakes soon after when he saw the boom of the elk population, the decrease of other populations, and the downfall of the once beautiful ecosystems. He began to realize that predators, like wolves, are responsible for the beautiful ecosystem around us.