"THE GRAY WOLF"
This article was about researching the introduction
of the Gray Wolf into Yellowstone National Park. The researchers call the
individual animals by numbers, rather than names to escape attachment.
Since this introduction, in 1995, the over-abundant
coyote population has been reduced by half- creating a much safer habitat
for surrounding wildlife. The in depth research revealed that wolves
are quite human-like in their temperaments and personality traits.
In fact, their family structure is more closely related to humans than
the primates.
The wolves' progress in the West Rocky Mountains,
and in the Lake Superior region, has encouraged biologists to try to introduce
the Gray Wolf into parts of the east as well.
The Nez Perce Indian Tribe runs Idaho's recovery
program. Part of the reason for this is because Idaho politicians
would not allow state agencies and the FWS to cooperate together.
Data from Mike Nelson and David Melch have documented
the correlation between wolves and the killing of deer. The study
found that deer died mostly from the cold, snow depth and starvation- rarely
from wolves. They also found that since the introduction of wolves
into Yellowstone, that deer populations have not drastically risen or fallen.
Yellowstone has as many as 35,000 elk, a number
that is contributing to range deterioration from overgrazing. Wolves
help curb elk populations and to conserve the natural ecosystems of the
park.
Chadwick, Doug. "Return of the Gray Wolf". National Geographic.
May, 1998.