After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in1995.Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By 2007, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170.
Gray wolves once roamed throughout the Yellowstone area. But they were gradually displaced by human development and hunted by farmers for killing livestock(牲畜). By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They moved farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there was less contact with humans.
The disappearance of the wolves had many consequences. Deer populations — a major food source for the wolf — grew rapidly without their usual enemy. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation, which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote(小野狼) populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park's red foxes.
As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves into Yellowstone, hoping that they would be able to control the deer and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan, worrying that wolves would kill their livestock or pets. Other people feared that the wolves would not be well-protected in Yellowstone.
The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolves. They included many compromises to help people accept the wolves' presence. For example, they promised to pay farmers for livestock killed by wolves.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolves in Yellowstone. Certain wolves wear special collars to help biologists gather information about how the wolves live, hunt, and reproduce. Each year the wolf population is counted.
Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Deer and coyote populations are down, while red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.
