06-14-2006, 04:11 AM
I'm a little nervous myself about allowing wolves to repopulate our(their) lands. However, there is some kind of good that comes of this return of "balance" to the ecosystem:
I read a report awhile back about how some streams in Yellowstone that had been murky and devoid of bank vegetation such as willows and the like, had begun to recover and grow new willows, stabilizing the banks and clearing up some of the water. This improves fish habitat. The reason for this was that the elk used to love to sit down there in the river bottoms and munch on the willows, stripping them bare. Now, though, they have to be more careful and keep a watchful eye for wolves, so they tend to feed in safer locations.
I don't have a reference, sorry, but it was an interesting read. So it's not all bad, but definitely not all good either.
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I read a report awhile back about how some streams in Yellowstone that had been murky and devoid of bank vegetation such as willows and the like, had begun to recover and grow new willows, stabilizing the banks and clearing up some of the water. This improves fish habitat. The reason for this was that the elk used to love to sit down there in the river bottoms and munch on the willows, stripping them bare. Now, though, they have to be more careful and keep a watchful eye for wolves, so they tend to feed in safer locations.
I don't have a reference, sorry, but it was an interesting read. So it's not all bad, but definitely not all good either.
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