This chapter begins with a viral video about a trophic cascade initiated by the return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park. It then challenges the narrative of that video. How strong is the evidence for the trophic cascade that has been claimed to exist in Yellowstone? A survey of the relevant literature suggests that the matter is far from settled. But the absence of a scientific consensus is not reflected in the popular press. Analysis of a random sample of newspaper articles about wolf reintroduction shows that a simplistic version of the scientific story is reported far more often than the more complex, but more accurate, tale of an unresolved hypothesis. A particular study on wolf-mediated effects on grizzly bears, via elk and berries, is examined in more depth. Ultimately, the chapter makes the case that the more nuanced story is not only more factually accurate, it also tells an essential truth about the nature of ecology.
Grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park