![]() Wolves are dangerous, just like all wild animals are dangerous, but they’re definitely the least dangerous of all of North America’s large carnivores.īrief: What inspired you to pursue a Ph.D. ![]() The kill rate of mountain lions-for example-on elk and deer, is way higher than wolves on elk and deer. They are much larger than wolves and have retractable claws, extraordinary vision and a shorter snout, which gives them a greater bite force. Mountain lions are ambush predators and obligate carnivores. The reality is that wolves are actually very ineffective as predators when compared to a true natural super-predator like the mountain lion. People also assume that wolves make a massive impact on prey populations. “Packs” are another misconception because people assume that packs are gangs of wolves that are essentially unstoppable killing machines, or super-organisms. People have this perception that the wolf is a formidable predator-capable of bringing down large prey… disproportionately larger than itself. What are the most common fictions surrounding wolves and their relationship with humans?īott: The first myth that I’d like to address is that wolves are super-predators. The success of this project has hinged on the healthy working relationships he established between the National Park Service, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.īrief: The underlying theme of “The Big Bad Wolf” is storytelling. Under Yellowstone biologists’ supervision, Bott initiated and is now the project lead of a multi-year field study, monitoring wolf spatial persistence and reproduction on a multi-jurisdictional landscape. Most importantly, he can initiate civil discussions by promoting respect, empathy and integrity while advocating ways to sustain biodiversity and generate a healthy environment for both humans and wildlife.īott is a wildlife biologist and a doctoral student at Utah State University studying wolves across the American West-predicting spatial and behavioral patterns on an anthropocentric landscape to prevent conflict and promote human-carnivore coexistence.īott also works with the Yellowstone Wolf Project, studying and monitoring the occupancy and reproduction of wolves in the southwest interior of Yellowstone National Park. His western heritage and understanding of wildlife management allow him to move fluidly and genuinely between groups of different cultural values and find common ground without compromising his integrity. Among the film’s interviewees is Expedition Leader Colby Brokvist, who humbly declares, “there’s not another creature on the planet that defines wilderness like wolves.” Meet Aaron BottĪaron Bott is deeply connected to the Northern Rockies, where his Mormon Pioneer family settled in the mid‒1800s. And hear from wolf biologist Doug Smith, who was hired by Yellowstone National Park to help reintroduce wolves in 1995. Listen to local residents: Andrew Anderson, Nathan Varley, Stacey Orsted, Anna Holloway and Richard Parks as they tell stories about what it is like to live in the Wild West. When accessing Yellowstone, visitors pass through the historic Roosevelt Arch, which was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903 and is the only entrance that remains open to wheeled-vehicle use year-round. Long before Yellowstone’s designation-for over 10,000 years-the convergence of the Great Plains, Great Basin and Columbia Plateau has served as Indigenous homeland for 27 Native American Tribes. Though not founded until 1880, Gardiner has functioned as the original gateway to North America’s first national park since 1872. The small town is situated along the scenic Yellowstone River-the last major undammed river in the lower 48 states-flowing 671 miles from its source southeast of Yellowstone into the Missouri River and then, eventually, into the Atlantic Ocean. Nestled in Paradise Valley, between the Absaroka-Beartooth and the Gallatin Mountain Ranges, Gardiner shares approximately 10 million acres of public land with one of the most diverse collections of large mammals in the country, including wolves, bison, bighorn sheep, elk, pronghorn and grizzly and black bears. ![]() As the title suggests, the short film introduces viewers to the controversial existence of these mythic creatures and exposes the conservation challenges wolves face in a landscape increasingly dominated by human influence.Īlso featured in the film are a few of Gardiner, Montana’s nearly 900 residents, who are uniquely positioned to provide their perspective on the great wolf debate. Watch Nat Hab’s “The Big Bad Wolf” and Read on for an Exclusive Interview with the Film’s Co-Producer-Wildlife Biologist, Aaron Bottĭirected by Andrew Ackerman, “ The Big Bad Wolf” follows in the footsteps of Aaron Bott as he tracks wolves ( Canis lupus) through snow-covered alpine meadows and beneath the branches of ancient conifers.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |