The wolf recovery has proceeded well, despite a lawsuit stemming from some area ranchers who do not like wolves in their neighborhood. At present, an estimated 120 wolves roam throughout the Yellowstone region. Studies done by wolf researchers indicate that elk is the wolves' primary meat diet. The wolves tend to leave the much larger bison and moose alone. The coyote population has also demitted somewhat since the advent of the wolf.
Coyotes compete with wolves over big game kills, and the wolves are the larger of the two.
The wolf holds a fascination for Yellowstone's visitors, with many visitors wanting to see a wolf even more than they would like to see a grizzly. Yellowstone officials have noted that this winter is witnessing a high degree of visible wolf activity in the Lamar Valley region in particular.