One of the alternatives mentioned in the new Rocky Mountain National Park "Elk and Vegetation Plan" includes re-introducing wolves (2 pairs, followed by 14 more over 20 years) to help control the elk population in the park. The wolf and elk are a predator-prey pair in nature. When one is missing, nature gets out of balance. In RMNP, with no wolves, the elk have multiplied to an unhealthy level. Too many elk eat too much vegetation (which in turn is habitat for other animals that must then leave the park) and spread disease (elk in the park have contracted and are spreading chronic wasting disease). I spoke with a RMNP ranger a while back and he gave this explanation and pointed out the counter-example of the cougar and deer predator-prey pair. Cougar are still prevalent in the park and thus deer numbers have been kept in check.The success of the Yellowstone Wolf Restoration will hopefully lead to RMNP choosing the wolf alternative again here.
