Rewilding Could Save Many Endangered Species

About a century ago, wolves were eradicated from Yellowstone National Park. What happened after they were gone led to the government reintroducing wolves in Yellowstone. Wolves are known as a “keystone species” because they keep the ecosystem in balance. When wolves were reintroduced back to Yellowstone, the elk population became stable. Trees and shrubs returned to the valley. Birds and beavers thrived; bears and ravens had food to feast upon. Returning the wolves to Yellowstone was essential to the park. But not all reintroductions work as well as that. Scientists are working to figure out why. Two scientists, William Ripple and Christopher Wolf, recently published a paper which stated that with correct care to ensure wolves’ survival, rewilding programs could become more successful. They mentioned to sights that might work as planned: Olympic National Park in Washington State and Everglades National Park in Florida.

In some countries, though, people kill animals for food, tradition, or out of revenge because of livestock killings. “The biggest hurdle will be finding humans willing to live alongside and support efforts to keep big carnivores around,” said Thomas Newsome, an ecologist studying human-predator interactions. Many people do not support rewilding. “Rewilding will be a significant trend in preserving ecosystems where all species matter”, Dr. Ripple stated. “Humans are just figuring out what the interconnectedness in nature is all about.”

To find out more visit link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/16/science/rewilding-carnivores-wolves.html

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