How Wolves Brought Yellowstone Back to Life

The Yellowstone Wolf Reintroduction has been a resounding success since it began in 1995. Yellowstone’s wolves saved an ecosystem that was barren, overgrazed, and overpopulated with elk.
The return of wolves brought about a whole host of ecological changes, starting with the return of vital riparian trees like cottonwoods, aspens, and willows. The return of Yellowstone’s streamside vegetation also meant the return of beavers, fish, muskrats, and other animals. More elk carcasses meant more food for bears, cougars, eagles, and vultures. Yellowstone’s wolves even changed rivers themselves. With trees on their banks, rivers were stabilized and less susceptible to erosion.
Perhaps even more remarkably, wolves even changed elk behavior. Termed the “Valley of Fear,” the very presence of wolves in Yellowstone caused elk to avoid certain areas simply because they were scared. Wolves saved Yellowstone by bringing back ecological relationships that were centuries old, but had been lost in the last 100 years.
In this video, we’re taking a look at all of that and more, as we breakdown the Yellowstone wolf reintroduction. This video is also the second installment in my series on the Green World Hypothesis and predators in National Parks. If you want to see the first installment, you can check that out here: • The Fascinating Ecolog...
Enjoy!

[@erics.786]

Beautiful creatures.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Very true. A National Park Icon.

[@davechappelle296]

no they are not 😡

[@wyatt_COTW]

Yes, I agree. But there can definetly be to many wolves in a single population. Which currently, there isn't much of that to speak of.

[@hyenaboy7504]

@@wyatt_COTW Only because we destroyed most of their natural habitat, meaning the wolves have less space to run around

[@TrippWhitney328]

@@davechappelle296 yes they are not

[@daved2820]

I had the amazing opportunity to watch a pack of wolves chase a pack of bison in Yellowstone back in 2012 from a cliff side down a valley, we spent an hour watch the clever wolves try and take the smaller and weaker buffalo out of the herd only to have the larger ones scare them off over and over, it was amazing

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Sounds incredible!

[@ext93]

Imagine a pack approaches behind you while you are distracted watching the other pack I only got to spend a few days in Yellowstone but the bison were incredible. There was such an enormous herd crossing the road when we first arrived that traffic stopped for nearly 30 minutes. Not because of people stopping to look, the bison were physically blocking the road 😂 Several were just standing on the road like "yeah what are you gonna do?" I couldn't believe how big they are. Also spent a few days hiking Grand Tetons and i saw a moose for the first time. They are gigantic and amazing. I fckin love Wyoming, such a beautiful place

[@WyomingTraveler]

@@ext93 you are right Wyoming is a beautiful place and Yellowstone is absolutely fabulous.

[@patrickporter1864]

Herd.

[@Daniel-se3zm]

A group of bison is called a herd.

[@WyomingTraveler]

I have been to Yellowstone so many times I have lost count. On several occasions I have been privileged to watch wolves from the roadside. While backpacking, I have been able to listen to them Howell while sitting by the campfire, a really great experience. On one occasion, again while backpacking, we came across a wolf family playing in the meadow not very far from our trail. We spent about 30 minutes just sitting there watching them. It was a really neat experience.

[@kimm6589]

Love your videos. As someone who lives and camps in Minnesota, I have to say that wolves are beautiful thing. One note: the term 'cow' only refers to a female with calf. The collective term of these animals is 'cattle'.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@KendallGray1]

This series is about to blow up

[@casienwhey]

The way wolves were treated in prior years was really disgraceful, it reflected just gross ignorance of their place in the environment and a lack of respect for other types of life. Back then the idea was that the land was to be dominated by man and any species that got in the way were to be eradicated. You can see that not just with wolves but also with bison, prairie dogs, cougars, grizzly bears and many others.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Our treatment of predators in general in this country has been so disappointing. What's worse is, even though we now have the knowledge to know predators are vital parts of ecosystems, certain people still maintain the old, outdated anti-predator mindset. There's a book called "Where the Wild Things Were" by William Stolzenburg that talks about this really well. Highly recommend if you're interested in this topic.

[@AbouttheJourney]

Great episode. Very informative. I just hope the current frenzy to "control" wolf populations in Idaho and Wyoming don't upset this restoration and re-balancing in those locations. On a side note, the new logo looks great!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I hope so too. The stigma against wolves is so deeply rooted that I think it's going to be hard to convince some people otherwise. We can only hope that good science and conservation win out in the end. And I'm glad you like the new logo! I was really happy with the way it turned out - it's the embodiment of everything I want this channel to be.

[@schizomode]

Yeah, but if a pack of wolfs killed my horse like it did to guy I knew in Idaho I would be pissed off too

[@nmarbletoe8210]

@@schizomode fair enough. and if I hit a deer like 1.5 million people in the US last year, I can be pissed because of the lack of wolves. truly I am not dismissing the right to be pissed. wolves should be abundant enough to hunt so they get fear of people and livestock

[@aff77141]

I'm sure this is a great video. I'm so appreciative of you spreading awareness and hope more people find this video and channel (I have a weird knack for finding people right before they blow up... so let's hope!) but I physically can't watch it because the subject matter is making me livid. Nature deserves better.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks so much! Unfortunately you are correct about our relationship to the natural world. I try not to shy away from these issues here and tell the good stories with the bad ones. In the case of Yellowstone Wolves though, I consider it a huge success story, even if it had a darker past. Anyway, thanks for your comment!

[@VasuJaganath]

I am very impressed by the clarity of your presentation and simplicity of the narration. Thank you for being an exclusively nature channel. Subbed.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thank you Vasu! My goal is to make parks and conservation as accessible as possible so I'm glad you enjoyed it! Welcome to the community!

[@VasuJaganath]

@@NationalParkDiaries So far you have covered, federal conservation units and initiatives, it would be wonderful if you could talk about state and private conservation efforts, land and communities. PS : I absolutely loved your episodes on "Keystone' species

[@NationalParkDiaries]

@@VasuJaganath Noted! I have a few ideas for state/private conservation areas also (and international). My general rule of thumb for this channel is that as long as it concerns a protected place, I'll tell it. I'm glad you enjoyed the Keystone species videos! I actually think those are my favorite videos I've made so far. The Green World Hypothesis and Predator Ecology are fascinating to me. Hopefully I can tell more of those types of stories soon.

[@jillgerwing7877]

There were more than just 8 wolves introduced in 1995. There were 31 wolves in a few different packs.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

It's my understanding that the reintroduction actually took place over a few years, with 31 being the final number. Looks like there were actually 14 reintroduced in 1995, with a further 17 added in 1996: www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/wolf-restoration.htm Thanks for the correction though!

[@jillgerwing7877]

Also, this is a really well done video.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

@@jillgerwing7877 thank you!

[@jillgerwing7877]

@@NationalParkDiaries If you haven't yet read The Rise of Wolf 8, about the reintroduction and subsequent survival of these wolves, I highly recommend it. Excellent book.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

@@jillgerwing7877 I've never heard of that, but I think it's going on my reading list right away 😂 Thanks for the suggestion! Also, thanks for your comments! I'm loving these questions!

[@francescodivita2509]

So beautiful it leaves you speechless

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Couldn't agree more.

[@jonjodan8933]

Excellent video, thank you!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@ismorezro]

one of my new favorite channels in yt.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Welcome to the community, we're happy to have you!

[@bkharpal]

Nice presentation, essence is we have to think of the whole ecosystem

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Yep, exactly!

[@jefff6167]

I appreciate how you make allowances for the fact that humans are constantly learning from experiences. You could have easily engaged in the very popular politics of personal destruction but you took the old school approach instead. You’re very wise.. thanks for modeling productive public discourse. 👍🇺🇸

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thank you! I do my best to represent these issues as accurately as possible to let people make informed decisions. Thanks for watching!

[@bennettmyers7737]

So glad you brought up the trophic cascade and it's importance to biodiversity in yellowstone

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Absolutely! One of the best, and most well known, examples!

[@hunterhill4786]

Ask the diminished mountain lion population what they think of the Park's wolves. Park lion population has been reduced by 50% since reintroduction. We just pick and choose which animals to save.

[@nmarbletoe8210]

I pick Jeremy. He is a lion but he has wolf friends. He also wants his friends preserved. His friends are Amigo the Wolf and Char the Elderberry. Please preserve all the animals and the berries.

[@hyenaboy7504]

The mountain lions have simply gone back to the numbers they were at before wolves were initially killed off there.

[@ChrisRoxDuhh]

Never knew abou the Human-Wolf conflict. Such a great video!!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@TRUE-WORSHIPPER952]

Finally someone explains the ecosystem, clearly and succinctly.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Glad I could help!

[@kevinpoe8137]

you should do a video on the red wolf

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Planning on it at some point

[@C.C-os1cz]

It’s amazing what nature can do when people leave it alone and don’t meddle with nature’s way of life. There’s true wisdom in that.

[@adeypearce1]

I really like this video about the reintroduction of wolves. I've watched a few, and this is on my favourite list. Well done. It really is sad to see what humans have destroyed on the one hand and heartwarming to see the amazing efforts of conservationists on the other hand.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks so much, I appreciate that! I have hope that we can continue to see conservation successes like this one in the future. We just have to keep helping people understand the valuable role wildlife and conservation can play in their communities. Thanks for watching!

[@chumbucket1313]

I visited Yellowstone in 1993 and there were elk EVERYWHERE! I saw 20X the elk as other animals saw some buffalo and a coyote and 1 black bear I wonder how that has changed since the wolfs came back.

[@sethstoots15]

I recommend watching Steve Isdahl's take on the reintroduction of wolves into the wilds. I am not for extermination of wolves of course, but the way of the wolf has changed with MAN making roads/timbered lands for them to freely roam fast.

[@ggEmolicious]

Me:Such a majestic view of an elk! Elk:*starts pooping casually*

[@rogerjohnston9545]

You left Bison out of this story about balance.

[@norcanexs.g.llc.4625]

These wolves were trapped and brought from Jasper National Park in Alberta, in the 1990s were my sister lives, I did visit Yellowstone a few years after the wolves were brought back.

[@mithunbalaji8199]

Value other life as a end in themselves, just like how we value human lives not as a means for other things.

[@No5712]

thought I got a game on faceit when this video started

[@misterstaple]

The primary predator of deer where i live is the Toyota Yaris

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I feel like the deer might win that one lol

[@user-xr2mk1gl6b]

Great video! I like that they were able to show how bringing back wolves had a big impact. The part where they talk about how it changed plants and rivers is really interesting. The video helps you see how important wolves are for keeping nature in balance and making ecosystems healthier.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks so much!

[@grjoe4412]

Save, bring back to life, diversity, better, etc. All these words are subjective. All that said I like wolves.

[@jermainedification]

Wolves my favorite animal

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Great choice!

[@skysthelimitvideos]

Imagine how many other ecosystems across America and the world could be restored through the reintroduction of their exterminated top predators.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I think about this a lot, actually. I'm from the East Coast, and recently did a story on red wolves and wonder all the time what our ecosystems would be like here if we still had our large carnivores on the landscape...

[@thekickingwolf5115]

Reintroduction is cool, but they should be hunted as well. City folks have no clue the havoc they’re causing to ungulates and ranchers.

[@frostking3566]

They aren't....I'm a country guy and have been my entire life....the wolf population isn't even big enough to cause issues.

[@EnvisionedBlindness]

If humans would have taken up the hunting role that they eliminated, elk wouldn’t have over populated. Pure laziness

[@taylerwetzsteon1794]

The only problem is that it’s killing all the elk in the 200-300 mile radius around Yellowstone

[@nmarbletoe8210]

source: National Elkquirer

[@peterbenoni1470]

Except it's not killing "all" the elk- elk were overpopulated beforehand and this drop in numbers is returning them to a more natural state. Wapiti are not in, approaching, or anything else towards a genetic bottleneck so many seem convinced they're on the brink of

[@hyenaboy7504]

The only problem is that you're wrong. Wolves are simply doing what they've done for thousands of years. If they were killing off the elk, then elk would have gone extinct there thousands of years ago.

[@ApolloTheDerg]

@@hyenaboy7504 then what is the logic behind us not deforesting and developing? It’s just what we have naturally done for thousands of years, don’t interfere with it.

[@hyenaboy7504]

@@ApolloTheDerg Wolves also have a right to live there.

[@sparrowrum]

Wolves rock. People suck

[@B-rad303]

Tornados are also beautiful to watch. Until they kill everything.

[@ApolloTheDerg]

I tamed me a twister, it’s mostly calm and harmless, but I have to take extra caution when traveling near trailer parks.

[@phila9288]

That is a great lesson on why humans need to stop trying to play god but I still want rocketships

[@craig9146]

This is just a repeat of "How Wolves Change Rivers." Neither video is accurate. The aspens, willows and cottonwoods have not come back. Elk feed on grasses for about 90% of their diet. Still, the grasses haven't done much better because the Park Service has been managing for double the number of bison. Bison also eat about 90% grasses. Bison also break young saplings. The aspens, cottonwoods and willows have changed very little since wolves returned. There is no resurgence of migratory birds. Wolves killed coyotes, but there weren't a lot of them in the first place. Therefore, there hasn't been more small rodents for hawks, badgers, etc. You know what wolves did do? They cleaned up much of the winter-killed elk and bison that the grizzlies got used to eating in the spring. In the first years after the wolf reintroduction, grizzly depredation on livestock was up as the bears cast about outside the park looking for the high protein diet they had been used to. Good thing both types of bears are omnivores and switched to other food. Wolves are neat, but please don't continue the fairytale that never was.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone has been extensively studied, and numerous independent academic articles support the idea that wolves have greatly benefited the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. These are the studies used to support both this video, and "How Wolves Change Rivers." If you have credible sources of your own to refute these claims, do feel free to link them.

[@craig9146]

What you described is fantasy first promulgated in the May 1998 issue of National Geographic. Three years was insufficient to even start the process of the grand trophic cascade. Supporting studies came out closely after and if you looked at them critically you would find that most of the work was outside the Lamar River area and documented damage on range shared by elk and bison. So many of the studies that came out in the 2000s were questionable because they supported a pretty narrative. The Park Service and others were so eager to find supporting evidence that that is just what they found. Once the easy stuff was done, serious science started getting done, but no one touts the appearance of sarcoptic mange and canine distemper brought in by the wolves. Or the fact that the Soda Butte and Lamar Valleys weren't "recovering." From my reading, any of the trophic changes are small scale and away from where there were large elk concentrations. Two of the more recent studies are: Effects of bison on willow and cottonwood in northern Yellowstone National Park by Painter, et. al. (2020); and Bison influences on composition and diversity of riparian plant communities in Yellowstone National Park J. Boone Kauffman, Dian Lyn Cummings, Cimarron Kauffman, Robert L. Beschta, Jeremy Brooks, Keeley MacNeill, William J. Ripple (2023) doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4406. Go back to “How Wolves Change Rivers.” There’s a scene (1:21) where two elk are wading and an elk is lying in a supposedly trampled fall meadow. See all the poop piles around? That’s almost all bison pies. That's the range of the Madison/Gibbon segement of the Yellowstone bison population. I find it telling that Painter, et. el. say that increasing bison numbers are for unknown reasons. The NPS is managing for more bison. Look at their bison population (www.nps.gov/articles/bison-history-yellowstone.htm). Even when they were supposed to be managing for 1,000 bison maximum, they were letting it get to around 1,400-1,500. Nobody seems to want to show comparitive landscape photos either. My photos from 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2012-2023 show no significant changes in vegetation in the Lamar Valley. I don't mind ecosystem studies. I just don't like the bias and the predetermined narrative. @@NationalParkDiaries

[@angelaholsapple8830]

It is the elk that feeds the wolf but the wolf that makes the elk strong. They are master caretakers and gardeners of their land

[@thomasbermea347]

#Relistwolves #Stopthehunt

[@Aerosith]

no, wolves just like all animals must have managed populations.

[@thomasbermea347]

@@Aerosith key word being "managed" not overhunted or poached. Treaties were violated in the last hunt that led to more wolves being killed than was sustainably necessary.

[@hyenaboy7504]

@@Aerosith There are more ways to manage population than just killing them. Relocation is one way to manage populations without killing them.

[@Aerosith]

@@hyenaboy7504 what happens when you relocate all of the wolves?

[@hyenaboy7504]

@@Aerosith I never said "all".

[@arianaracquel2521]

It’s always the same people responsible for destroying life… human or animal… 🙄

[@RK-cj4oc]

Which same people?

[@davechappelle296]

bad vid

[@chaseferguson1261]

You clicked on the video, after reading title and thumbnail, video delivered everything it offered, probably more. So why did you click on this video in the first place if you dislike it.

[@VagaBumAdventures]

@@chaseferguson1261 because this topic has been debunked. Look up “Yellowstone wolf debunked”.

[@LostSwiftpaw]

@@VagaBumAdventures actually so i looked it up, and i believe i did find what you're referring to. It says that the wolves did not have a dramatic impact on the the population of the Willow trees, but from what i can see the lack of willow trees on the banks of rivers kept them shallow which is the ideal environment they like to he in. Without the trees the rivers got deeper and steeper, unable to support new saplings. The Wolves being reintroduced into Yellowstone did have a massive impact but not specifically on the Willow Trees

[@irkendragon]

It's probably not technically correct to say any of this is debunked, but what is misrepresented is the total recovery. Not enough time has passed for the ecosystem to completely recover to its prior state. There's still a lot of lasting damage leftover from the wolf-less days in terms of plant vegetation. Some of the damage may also be irreversible. There's debate as well as to how much fear really influences where elk go, and that having an influence on vegetation, vs. elk just being removed via predation. In some cases the food reward outweighs the risk and elk don't bother moving just because wolves are around.

[@norcanexs.g.llc.4625]

Why not just look at Alberta's National Parks were the wolves were taken from and never been eradicated.

[@davechappelle296]

I dislike this