Why Are Elk Important? Elk are some of the most important and influential animals in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Elk have shaped the environment of the park, affecting plant growth, influencing the materials beavers use to build dams, and even impacting stream temperatures. What would happen if elk went extinct? In reality, the extinction of
How Have Wolves Affected The Elk Population? New research shows that by reducing populations and thinning out weak and sick animals, wolves are helping create more resilient elk herds. For the past 12 years, elk numbers in the park’s largest herd have leveled off between about 6,000 and 8,000, instead of extreme boom-and-bust cycles due
How Do Wolves Affect Elk? New research shows that by reducing populations and thinning out weak and sick animals, wolves are helping create more resilient elk herds. For the past 12 years, elk numbers in the park’s largest herd have leveled off between about 6,000 and 8,000, instead of extreme boom-and-bust cycles due to climate