11 facts you never knew about Yellowstone

In Yellowstone National Park by TwowolvesLeave a Comment

Protect The Wolves

“Wolves arrived in Yellowstone National Park via truck on January 12, 1995,” according to the National Park Service.

There are nearly 3,500 square miles of protected wilderness in Yellowstone National Park, but visitors can see only a small fraction of it from its 466 miles of road that wind through Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The oldest national park, established in 1872, it is home not only to the famous geyser Old Faithful, but to over 300 different species of birds, fish and mammals — the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states.

The visually stunning Nat Geo Wild special “Wild Yellowstone,” which premieres Dec. 6, follows 31 different species found in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem (including Grand Teton National Park and the region’s national forests), and we got a closer look at many of them on a trip to the park in October. Local expert and guide Taylor Phillips, who leads Eco Tour Adventures provided insights into this fascinating world.

PHOTO BREAK: 9 epic long-distance trails

1. The wolf population in Yellowstone numbers about 100 today, but it dropped to zero in the 1930s, when more than 50,000 were trapped, shot or poisoned under a program to eliminate predators. Wolves were reintroduced to the park in the mid-1990s, when animals were captured in Canada and released in the park. That had an effect on the coyote population in Yellowstone, as wolves search out coyote dens and kill the pups.

2. Bison are arguably the most dangerous animal in Yellowstone. They can run as fast as 30 miles per hour and their behavior is unpredictable. During the breeding season in August, males become more aggressive due to built-up testosterone, and they often take it out on nearby trees. But they’re not the only species that destroy trees. Bears strip them of bark, especially when sap is running, and beavers fell others: it takes nearly 100 trees to feed a family of beavers for the winter.

Read the other 9 Here:

11 facts you never knew about Yellowstone | MNN – Mother Nature Network.

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