Short Wave The Yellowstone Wolf Controversy
33 snips
Aug 20, 2025 
Burley McCoy, a producer at Short Wave, shares insights on the controversial reintroduction of grey wolves to Yellowstone National Park three decades ago. He explores how this decision aimed to rebalance the ecosystem by controlling elk populations but reveals that the narrative isn't that simple. The discussion dives into the complex interactions between wolves, elk, and aspen trees, challenging the notion that wolves are solely responsible for ecological changes. McCoy also highlights the challenges of wolf reintroduction beyond Yellowstone, addressing local human conflicts and differing ecological contexts.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
How A Simple Story Took Hold
- Early studies linked wolf reintroduction to broad ecosystem recovery, creating a simple cascade narrative.
- Media amplification turned tentative scientific findings into a dominant and enduring story.
A Graduate Student Who Tracked Aspen
- Eric Larson began as a grad student investigating aspen decline and found growth dropped around the 1920s.
- He and advisor Bill Ripple linked the decline to wolf extirpation and later tracked aspen growth after wolf reintroduction.
Same Data, Different Conclusions
- Different analyses of the same aspen dataset produced divergent conclusions about recovery.
- Focusing on tallest trees showed recovery tied to wolves, while average growth revealed a patchy, mixed response.