Posted on 07/24/2025 4:18:55 AM PDT by Cronos
Yellowstone's wolves are helping a new generation of young aspen trees to grow tall and join the forest canopy — the first new generation of such trees in Yellowstone's northern range in 80 years.
Gray wolves (Canis lupus) had disappeared from Yellowstone National Park by 1930 following extensive habitat loss, human hunting and government eradication programs. Without these top predators, populations of elk (Cervus canadensis) grew unfettered. At their peak population, an estimated 18,000 elk ranged across the park, chomping on grasses and shrubs as well as the leaves, twigs and bark of trees like quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides). This stopped saplings from establishing themselves, and surveys in the 1990s found no aspen saplings.
"You had older trees, and then nothing underneath," Luke Painter, an ecologist at Oregon State University and lead author of the new study, told Live Science.
But when wolves were reintroduced in 1995, the picture began to change. As wolf numbers rose, the elk population in the park dropped sharply, and it is now down to about 2,000.
In the new study, published Tuesday (July 22) in the journal Forest Ecology and Management, Painter and his colleagues surveyed aspen stands — specific areas of the forest where these trees grow.
The team returned to three areas surveyed in 2012 to examine changes to aspen sapling numbers. Of the 87 aspen stands studied, a third had a large number of tall aspen saplings throughout, indicating the trees are healthy and growing. Another third of the stands had patches of tall saplings.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
No they don’t,they live in Colorado, where the liberals make YouTube videos of themselves interacting with them.
They no doubt have killed off a lot of elk but the wolves have also driven a lot of elk out of the area and into lands were the wolves have not been re etasblisehed.
Keeping the density of of Aspen and other saplings down is a very good thing from a fire management perspective. A high density of these young saplings is a huge fire risk.
Or have a hunting season AND a trapping season, to keep both at manageable levels.
Elk going from 18,000 to 2,000 seems worrisome.
We need More Aspen not Les Aspen...........
I went to Jellystone two years ago during the rut. The only wapiti I saw were in one of the towns.
You can’t fool Mother Nature.
Yes, but they were killed in a much more humane manner than by hunting; well, except for the being eaten alive part.
Canadian wolves to be sure.
“Wolves should be managed also and I believe they are.”
The wolves are PROTECTED and can not be touched!
It’s an abomination! (I live within 50 miles of YNP).
At least 10,000...
Aspen trees are the largest living biomass in the world. A grove over many thousands of aspen’s is spread over vast areas but is in reality only one plant
Natural cycle returns to Yellowstone good deal.
Those States have ranchers and farmers that do not want to see a large population of wolves, so they allow hunting.
If your State protects wolves take that up with your State.
Makes you wonder how many species of animals went extinct on their own.
So by killing all the other animals the wolves have allowed the Aspen’s to thrive? This sounds like a liberal treehugger’s dream!
I have Aspens in my yard. Did not know what they were until I brought in a tree service. The root system runs all around the fence line. Cut one down and not grind out the stump and you will have a new tree in five years. Tough trees, withstand hurricanes well, generally, at least by us, they do not damage houses in storms as long as you trim branches near roofs. Had one fall, sort of, in a hurricane, the root system held it in place but it was leaning towards my house so had to be cut down. Took three chainsaws and multiple blade sharpening to cut it down. New tree already five feet high.
Many, enviroment could not sustain them or they were prey for larger animals. Wolves were hunted to near extinction by men, not on their own.
“If your State protects wolves take that up with your State.”
The state of Montana follows FEDERAL mandates.
Get lost.
Those aren’t Federal mandates, suggest you get lost…in a little research.
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