Fifteen years after wolves were returned to Yellowstone National
Park the health of the overall ecosystem is overwhelming and
obvious. This is the observation made by scientists in a new
report published in the journal Biological Conservation. For the
first time in 70 years, the young aspen and willow trees are not
being eaten before they have a chance to flourish and grow by
the elk populations in northern Yellowstone, thanks to the
introduction of wolves back into the park. The elk are beginning
to decline and are also beginning to fear wolf predation. As
such, trees and shrubs are recovering along some streams, which
in turn provide improved habitat for beaver and fish, and
provide more food for birds and bears. “Yellowstone increasingly
looks like a different place,” said William Ripple, a professor
in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society at Oregon
State University, and lead author of the study. “These are still
the early stages of recovery, and some of this may still take
decades. But trees an