They blamed wolves for killing
livestock
.
But removing wolves from Yellowstone
caused problems.
Gray wolves are predators. This means
they hunt other animals for food. In
Yellowstone, they hunted large
prey
,
such as elk. They also hunted deer and
moose. After a hunt, each wolf ate up
to 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of meat. Wolves
IMPROVING THE SOIL
Wolves’ hunting habits help keep soil healthy.
Over time, bones and tissue from their prey decay.
Scientists at a national park in Michigan studied
how these materials affected the soil. The materials
added nutrients that help plants grow.
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