OVERVIEW

HISTORY

ACTORS

MAPS

DIMENSIONS:

ecosystem
wildlife
economic
policy
recreation/aesthetic
social

STUDY TEAM

REFERENCES

Wolf Reintroduction to Yellowstone Park

The importance of the presence of large predators in maintaining a healthy ecosystem has gained considerable recognition over the past quarter century. As a response, National Parks, seen as a refuge for wildlife, have been mandated to maintain, and in some cases, reintroduce large predators. In keeping with the goals of maintaining native species and their natural interactions with the environment, Yellowstone National Park has become a model for potential future wildlife reintroduction programs. For the first time in over 70 years, a viable population of wolves has been restored in Yellowstone National Park. The 1995 reintroduction of wolves has been a milestone effort in the history of wildlife management in the United States. However, the effort has not been without logistical and political challenges. The following information serves to outline the history and conservation biology behind the Yellowstone wolf recovery effort.