Thursday, August 28, 2014

How Wolves Changed The Yellowstone National Park



Let's have a break from our usual gardening blogs, and marvel at just how much nature can adapt to the presence of a wonderful and much maligned predator: the wolf.

Wolves have been gone from the Yellowstone National Park for more than 70 years. Because of this, the number of herbivores, specifically deer, have increased so much that vegetation became almost non-existent in the valley. But when the wolves came back to Yellowstone, a dramatic change is seen, starting from the food chain down to the geography of the park.

Wolves, though few in numbers, are effective hunters. With just a small pack, the wolves were able to control the number of deer in the park, giving the valley better opportunities for vegetation to grow. Since vegetation has started growing and trees have developed, beavers, birds, mice, rabbits, foxes and more have started to gather inside the park.

And remarkably, the diversified ecosystem has also changed the geography of the land. Rivers run in fixed courses, with several water spots suitable for animals to take their fill of much needed water.

It's amazing how nature can have wonderful changes with just the presence of one mighty predator. Watch the video and see just how dramatically the majestic wolf has changed the beautiful Yellowstone National Park.

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