One of the great learning exercises I had in college was in my Environmental Policy course. Every student was assigned a different viewpoint to defend. It didn't matter what our actual views were. The project helped us to see that there are often valid points to more than one side in an issue. To this day, I still form an opinion on the issues, but I also try to see things from the other side.
This book outlines the long-running debate about reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park. On the pro-wolf side, you have the people who want to have a balanced ecosystem in our oldest national park. They are the ones who have also opened up wolf sightseeing tours, and have a significant social media presence getting people to appreciate these often misunderstood animals.
The anti-wolf side are the ranchers and hunters. Elk populations were huge since wolves were eliminated from the park many decades ago. The economy of whole towns near Yellowstone are based in large part on elk hunting outfitters. There were so many elk in the area, that they could pretty safely guarantee a successful hunt.
Ranchers were worried about their livestock. Statistically, not a lot of domesticated animals get taken down, but one ranch could still lose a lot of animals if the wolf pack zeroes in on that spot.
The book focuses on one of the packs, and an alpha female designed "O6." She led her pack for many years through many challenges, and still managed to remain in the alpha (top) position. She was possibly the most popular wolf ever on social media.
[Spoiler Alert] When the wolf was shot by a hunter, people were sad and angry. She was wearing a collar, but her fur was so thick that the hunter claimed he could not see it. After she passed away, the hunter was astonished to see the pack emerge from the forest, stand vigil at her side, and howl mournfully. He backed away, and came back for the body later. The hunter was interviewed by the author of the book, but his name was changed for his safety.
Ecologically, where was a major ripple effect caused by the reintroduction of one pack of wolves, and a wild pack wandering in at about the same time. The elk population did go down, which allowed more vegetation to start growing along the shores of the rivers and streams. Water clarity increased. Beavers (who had also been eliminated from the park) returned when they saw their favorite food (aspen) growing. They constructed dams and created ponds. Many types of life benefit from a beaver pond.
Wolves eat coyotes. When the coyote population dropped, the rodent population increased. The increased rodents are a great source of food for raptors, whose populations also increased. Now there are many beautiful predatory birds in Yellowstone National Park that were not there in as great of numbers before the reintroduction.
In this day and age, it is rare to find someone reporting both sides. Nate Blakeslee does this well in the book. He is obviously pro-wolf, but he gives voice to the other side.
I highly recommend this book to young adults and adults. It is a great way to learn about the benefits of wolves in Yellowstone National Park. I see the same basic debate happening in Northern Minnesota, and am sure it is happening in many other areas as well. Some of the content may be a bit troubling for kids, but it is a reality they should learn when they approach adulthood.
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