Yellowstone bears and wolves fight over carcasses

Ralph Maughan

Their ancient struggle apparently has little effect on their populations-

That’s the conclusion of Dr. Doug Smith who heads the Park’s wolf program.

I think that might well be true overall, but Yellowstone Park is a small place when it comes to major predators.  With the wolf population in the Park as small as it now is, random fluctuations of predatory effects might, in my opinion, have an important effect on the wolves as far as the Park alone is concerned. . . RM

Bears butting in on Yellowstone wolf kills. Battle of carnivores ultimately has little effect on population. By Cory Hatch. Jackson Hole News and Guide.

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Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan’s Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of “Hiking Idaho.” He also wrote “Beyond the Tetons” and “Backpacking Wyoming’s Teton and Washakie Wilderness.” He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.

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Comments

2 responses to “Yellowstone bears and wolves fight over carcasses”

  1. Phil Avatar
    Phil

    I remember once seeing a juvenille grizzly bear (around 2 1/2 years old, around 300 or so lbs) fighting off 4 fully grown male wolves for a deer carcass on the edge of a river. It was absolutely amazing. The grizzly fended them off as much as he could, but eventually gave it up. Just true nature at its best right there.

  2. Cody Coyote Avatar
    Cody Coyote

    What I wouldn’t give to see 12 or more Grizzlies at once in Yellowstone , feeding on a carcass, with 12 or more Wolves watching and waiting.

    That would be worth it all…

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