| Wolves and Yellowstone Park have produced much discussion, some controversy and many books. The original mission of Yellowstone., the world's first national park, was people's enjoyment of its geologic wonders. Unaware of the intricate balance of nature, the U.S. government supported the extermination of wolves there, and by 1926 they were all gone.
After wolves were hunted to extinction in Yellowstone, scientists began to realize that the natural balance of all living things in the park had been disrupted. For decades, different methods of restoring the balance were tried, without success. Finally, years after the wolves returned to the park, the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place as the natural order is slowly being restored
The 2006 Montana Book Award was given to DECADE OF THE WOLF: RETURNING THE WILD TO YELLOWSTONE by Doug Smith and Gary Ferguson. In their book many people were able to understand the Wolf Recovery Project, it's importance to the animals and the ecosystem.
Now Dorothy Patent has written a book for young readers that centers on the revitalization of Yellowstone , revealing the challenges faced in environmental preservation.
Patent begins “When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature’s Balance in Yellowstone,” with the establishment of the national park at the turn of the last century. Patent explains the ill-fated decision to kill all the wolves and then shows, step by step, the slow yet inevitable decline of the ecosystem, failed attempts to control plant and animal populations, and the ultimate decision to return wolves to the park, which let natural relationships rebalance the habitat.
Outstanding historical and present-day photographs of Yellowstone , its inhabitants and its visitors capture the rugged natural beauty of the park and make this book the perfect gift for all ages.
The book celebrates the Park, the wolves and the many species of mammals, birds and fish that make Yellowstone a true American wilderness.
Barbara Theroux is the manager of Fact & Fiction, now part of the Bookstore at the University of Montana.
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