Yellowstone: Wonderland and Fairytale

What makes Yellowstone MAGIC?

Once called “Wonderland” by park visitors in the latter half of the 19th century, it would seem that magic was behind water shooting hundreds of feet in the air. Only in fairytale land can water exist - blue as any sapphire - and be so HOT a person would die in seconds if they fell into it. And still, in this mysterious place, it gets so cold during winter that snow condenses into ice crystals that shimmer and envelope the land in what appears to be diamonds. No, it is not surprising that Yellowstone has captivated imaginations since its “discovery” by early trappers in the 1800's and continues to today.

Unlike fairytales, the wolf in this magic land is no longer the monster. In Wonderland, the wolf is our “hero.” Once obliterated from the United States, wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone from Canada in 1995. By this time, the Elk had long been out of control. Their numbers had disastrously escalated and at one point, upwards of 30,000 were being transported from the park yearly. Since their reintroduction, wolves have increased from 30 to more than 100. There are now 13 separate packs. We will soon live closest to the Canyon pack whose den is just a few miles away and whose howls I look forward to listening to late in the evening. (The Guinea pigs are going to $#!+ themselves!)

How is the wolf our hero? Since their reestablishment, the behavior of their favorite food, the Elk, has changed. These large Cervids no longer laze about, eating all the plants. THEY MOVE. Consequently, Willow trees have flourished and are taller than most people can reach! They provide shade to the fish during the summer. Birds nest in their branches. Certain butterflies lay eggs on their leaves. Still – the beavers are returning because of the wood to eat and build with. And so, with the reintroduction of the wolf, diversity in Yellowstone has increased. Animals are returning. Others are thriving like the eagles who also feed on their kills along with countless other species.

We are all connected in this world in an intricate “web of life” where even we humans, have our place. Our tugs, our pushes and pulls, affect our world in complex ways that we are only beginning to witness now. The story of the wolf is a lesson and hints that there is a larger fairytale outside that of Yellowstone. Each of us has the choice to be a monster, or a hero. Keep the fairytale alive – for our children and for theirs.


*Inspired by Yellowstone Ranger Jennifer Conrad from MN