00:00Wolves, how top predators shape ecosystems beyond their prey.
00:05Wolves are famous predators, but their ecological importance extends far beyond the animals they hunt.
00:11As top predators, wolves can influence the numbers, distribution, and behavior of large herbivores such as elk and deer.
00:20That matters because heavy browsing by herbivores can reshape forests, meadows, and streamside vegetation.
00:26When predation changes where and how prey animals feed, plants may gain opportunities to recover.
00:33This chain of effects is called a trophic cascade, although scientists caution that ecosystems such as Yellowstone are complex and
00:41wolves are only one of many forces involved.
00:44Wolves also create food for other wildlife.
00:48Carcasses left after a kill can feed ravens, eagles, bears, coyotes, beetles, and other scavengers.
00:54They can also compete with mid-sized predators such as coyotes, changing how those animals use the landscape.
01:02By influencing prey and competitors, wolves can affect relationships among many species within a food web.
01:09Healthy vegetation associated with balanced herbivore pressure may also improve habitat for birds, insects, beavers, fish, and other animals.
01:19Then there is the human side.
01:21Wolves have deep cultural importance for many communities and have become a major wildlife viewing attraction in places such as
01:29Yellowstone.
01:30Their return has also generated difficult debates over livestock, hunting, and predator management.
01:36That complexity is part of the story.
01:39Wolves do not magically fix ecosystems, but removing or restoring a top predator can create effects that travel surprisingly far
01:48through the natural world.
01:49Wolves do not villagers.
01:49Wolves do not Italy ㅇ
01:50Wolves do not practically geographical or
01:50Wolves do not want to leave.
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