WATCH: 14 wolves were brought to Yellowstone, then something remarkable happened

The amazing way nature works

“May the relationship between man and nature not be driven by greed, to manipulate and exploit, but may the divine harmony between beings and creation be conserved in the logic of respect and care.” —Pope Francis, General audience, Vatican City, April 22, 2015

In 1995, with the help of Canadian wildlife experts, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service captured 14 wolves in Canada and brought them to Yellowstone National Park, where there had been no wolves since 1926. The wolf population began to rise, but something even more extraordinary began to happen: The entire ecosystem of the park began to transform. Even the rivers changed. This video explains how it happened. 

“I can personally attest to this unbelievable transformation. I fish in the park and have done so off and on for 20 years. Controlling the deer increased vegetation on the river banks which increased shade in the river as well as the number of terrestrial bugs that fall in the river (grass hoppers, ants, beetles). The result is cooler water temperatures and more food for the trout. The fishing has never been better. The deer are better off as well as the weakest of the herds are taken, leaving the healthiest and most hardy animals, as well as more grass and shrubs for the remaining healthy animals to eat. The wolves are amazing animals. Hearing them at night is truly humbling and exhilarating.” — John N. Joseph commenting on We Love Animals