Arthritis has a genetic component in elk, Edward said. It is the classic model of the wolf picking off the sick and the weak, preventing her from breeding and perpetuating weak genetics in the herd, he said. Even more importantly, wolves are the the engine of broader ecological processes because they have such a profound influence outside of prey species, Edward said. There is a huge ripple from wolves to prey to plants back to some other species, he said. Marc Bekoff, a University of Colorado biologist, agreed.
Wolves are a key component in all ecosystems in which they live.
In Yellowstone, wolves have already made their mark on ecological processes. By shifting the elk herds around, keeping them from loitering in one area too long, wolves have taken the browsing pressure off young aspen sprouts and given them time to grow. This has resulted in more nesting habitat for migrant songbirds, Edward said.- get Bangs opinion Wolves likely could not recolonize Colorado on their own, Edward said. The nearest wild wolf populations, in Yellowstone and in central Idaho, are seperated from the Colorado Rockies by the open ranch country of southern Wyoming. Any wolf crossing that expanse would likely end up dead, Edward said.