Wolves had been absent from Yellowstone for over 70 years. This changed in 1995, when the national park was restored of its natural apex predator, the gray wolf, in an attempt to restore its ecosystem. This has blossomed into the preeminent example of the effect an apex predator has on its ecosystem.

When the wolves had "left the building," the deer population skyrocketed. While this might have been great for Bambi, it wasn't so hot for Yellowstone. Deer overgrazed much of the land, and the damage had lasting ramifications. The reintroduction of Yellowstone's gray wolf had interesting effects, and they eventually "trained" the deer to avoid certain parts of the park — the parts where they were most defenseless. These valleys and gorges flourished once again, as the natural order of things was restored. It didn't stop there though. Yellowstone's ecosystem was reinvigorated, from the heights of the sky, to the depths of the rivers. Check out this video to learn more!

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