Wildlife trip guide says animal has restored ecosystem
CHRIS MERRILL Star-Tribune environment reporter | Posted: Sunday, February 24, 2008 12:00 am
Now that gray wolves are back in Yellowstone National Park in force, the rest of the animals there are healthier.
So says Wyoming native Greg Falk, owner of Upstream Anglers and Outdoor Adventures, based in Jackson.
And after spending countless hours observing wolves in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, Falk believes that no animal is more misunderstood than the wolf, he said.
"I'm one of those that are tickled pink that the wolves are back, because he's an important part of the ecosystem," Falk said. "Now that the wolf is back, everybody's eating better in the park. A supreme being of power, higher than us, created that animal. And it's important that it be here."
Falk is an ex-bank president who has guided private wildlife safari trips into the two parks for the past 17 years. Since wolves have been reintroduced, he said, he has seen the greater Yellowstone ecosystem find a better balance.
On his frequent trips into the parks, Falk has repeatedly observed a common chain of events, which all starts with the wolves, and which helps maintain the health of the rest of the animals, he said.
"The wolves will take down an animal; it's usually weak or sick. They eat some, but leave the rest. The grizzlies will usually come and push them out after a while. After the bears are done, the mountain lions come in. Then the coyotes. After those four or five have fed, the bald eagles come; they tolerate the ravens feeding with them. Then the magpies, and sometimes a fox or a badger."
Wolves are an essential part of the Northern Rockies ecosystem, Falk said. And their presence now accounts for about 15 percent of his guiding business.
"Personally, I was just glad that the wolves were back. It gave me an alternative to do another safari trip we never had before," Falk said. "We figure about 100,000 people in North America each year get to see wolves now. And they are the only ones in the world."
For his wolf safaris, Falk usually takes people into the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone. There are enough wolves now - four different packs in fairly predictable spots - that it has become a rare event not to spot any, he said.
"When we started in 1995, there were just two spotters," Falk said. "Now there's usually 30 to 35 vehicles parked along the road, all equipped with spotting scopes. It's amazing how much it's caught on."
People have more in common with wolves than most folks realize, Falk said, and if they understood that, there would be less paranoia - and fewer calls to get rid of them.
"The wolf is a social animal just like we are," he said. "They have a social structure. A mother and a father, or a chairman of the board, a CEO on down - and they all work together. They share everything. When family members go away and then come back, the reunions are just like our family reunions. They're happy to see each other, they play and celebrate. They care about each other."