UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

BB4A

I really have no clue how the North American Wolf has been given such a bad reputation. To hear some locals talk, no-one is safe in their beds. I’ve spent a little time with a Wolf Pack, and I’ve never found them to be anything other than very shy and cautious around me. Predators know their Prey, and I’m not on their menu.

BB4A

Wolf Low Light Portraiture: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-576521-1.html

tramsey Loc: Texas

I think it started with the cattle ranchers that lived just outside the Park. They were losing calves and of course the wolves were the culprit. So out went the wolves and then the elk started coming back and the Park started running into trouble. Against the lot of pushing from the ranchers they, the Wildlife Conservationists brought back one pack of wolves. It took a couple of years but things started coming back. When ever man thinks he knows more than Mother Nature things start going hey wire.

junglejim1949 Loc: Sacramento,CA

Interesting Mike, thanks for the share.

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

And then there was the three little pigs......

Curtis_Lowe Loc: Georgia

behaviour changes if the pack goes hungry for some reason

killroy

Here in Michigan, wolves were reintroduced into our Upper peninsular where they have thrived. Deer hunting is a almost sacred way of life here in Michigan, Upper and Lower peninsular included. Wolves have a bad reputation up there for decimating the deer herd. So bad that there is a saying, “shoot, shovel, and shut up”. Also known as the 3’s. In other words, see a wolf, kill a wolf. Don’t know how much this happens, but every year or so there is a story about someone getting busted for that very thing, usually because they forgot that last s.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

I saw this years ago - pretty fascinating. Similarly, they have found that reintroducing salmon (and removing a few dams when necessary) to rivers where salmon used to run causes dramatic changes to the environment near the rivers - some of which is triggered by bears hanging out near the river and catching and eating salmon - then crapping nitrogen-rich poop on the soil near the river. This impacts all sorts of flora and fauna. Pretty interesting!

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Without wolves, there would be no dogs. Man and wolves have coexisted since the dawn of man and it was that early relationship that helped man survive as some wolves became domesticated and man began to rely upon the wolf rather than to fear it.

Ichiban365

Research over 20 years in Wisconsin shows a 29% reduction in deer-vehicle incidents in areas where wolves were reintroduced. The presence of the wolves makes the deer more wary and less likely to hang out and browse in open areas such as roadsides.
I find it hard to understand when people who claim to be tough outdoorsmen and ranchers claim to be so afraid of wolves. It seems like a feeble excuse for failing to take proper care of their cattle.

Rich475 Loc: North of San Francsico

Great video Mike. If I'm not mistaken, I believe the ranchers near the National Parks are compensated for calves lost. I worked for the Canadian National Telegraph a 1000 miles north of Toronto when I was in High School for many summers. I would fish the remote rivers alone and see many wolves who were curious but never a threat. The Ojibwa Indians told me to never worry about them during the summer. Similar problem in the ocean with the destruction of the shark populations for 'shark finning'. We are removing the top predator and leaving the food chain in chaos. Every Oceanographer is concerned. Another example that not many people understand is building dams along the river for electricity. I know we need electricity but here are the consequences . . . whenever they would build a dam, a fish hatchery was close behind. Salmon from the hatchery would be released every year with an imprint DNA that would bring them back to the hatchery. When the dam was removed the salmon were confused and could never regenerate because they had no idea how to reach the spawning grounds. Remember, ten years ago everybody thought 'climate change' was a hoax.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

We have wolves roaming our ranch and have never had a problem with them. They leave the cattle and horses alone BUT do take down a fair number of deer and elk. They also come down to annoy our dogs by running up and down the side of the dog run as if to say, "Look, we're not trapped in a run!".

bwa

JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

It seems that cattlemen have a bigger say than conservationist when it comes to wolves. I have read about NE Washington where some of the re-establish wolf groups are being dramatically culled due to issues with the cattle ranchers. The loud voice, cattle ranchers, seem to have the biggest say.

And in Idaho, everyone seems hell bent on wiping out wolves again.

I don't have a good answer but I think wolves are getting the short end of the stick.

ncjim Loc: Durham, nc

See the following article from Yellowstone National Park about all the changes brought about by the re-introduction of the wolves. Really fascinating.

https://www.yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/wildlife/wolf-reintroduction-changes-ecosystem/

Wasn't able to make the link active. Sorry.

Jim