<div><p></p><p>In 1995 the US Fish and Wildlife Service and a group of Canadian biologists completely changed the face of Yellowstone National Park with one simple action.</p><p>They introduced 14 wolves from Canada into the park, where the predator had been extinct since 1926. </p><p>The impact was greater than anyone could have imagined as the entire ecosystem of the national park was transformed. </p><div><div><amp-iframe sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin" layout="responsive" frameborder="0" height="9" width="16" src="https://gifs.com/player/how-wolves-change-rivers-k545lN"></amp-iframe></div></div><p>It all started with the wolves hunting deer which helped to decrease the population and caused the remaining prey to avoid areas that they were easily hunted. </p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3C2AD1A300000578-4124734-image-a-99_1484573312872.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3C2AD1A300000578-4124734-image-a-99_1484573312872_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3C2AD1A300000578-4124734-image-a-99_1484573312872_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3C2AD1A300000578-4124734-image-a-99_1484573312872_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3C2AD1A300000578-4124734-image-a-99_1484573312872_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/3C2AD1A300000578-4124734-image-a-99_1484573312872_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>The deer's absence meant that plants could grow again where they previously wouldn't have. </p><p>Aspen and willow trees began to flourish and berries and bugs came along with the increased trees and bushes. </p><p>Because of this new food source, various bird species returned to the national park. </p><p>The beaver who was previously extinct to the region also returned. </p><div><div><amp-iframe sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin" layout="responsive" frameborder="0" height="9" width="16" src="https://gifs.com/player/how-wolves-change-rivers-qj4j57"></amp-iframe></div></div><p>Their dams then attracted otters, muskrats and various reptiles to the area. </p><p>The wolves also killed coyotes which meant the mice and rabbit populations grew. </p><p>This attracted red foxes, weasels, badgers and hawks to the park. People then also began to spot bald eagles once again.</p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>With the increased vegetation growth, erosion started to decreased and stabilize the river banks. </p><p>Channels narrowed, more pools formed, and rivers became fixed in their course. </p><div><div><amp-iframe sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin" layout="responsive" frameborder="0" height="9" width="16" src="https://gifs.com/player/how-wolves-change-rivers-j242kv"></amp-iframe></div></div><p>Not only did the wolves return restore a better balance between predator and prey, but it also help to change the park's physical geography. </p><p><strong>Share this wonderment of nature! </strong></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><amp-facebook data-href="https://www.facebook.com/newsnercom/videos/810945719072741" layout="responsive" height="600" width="640"></amp-facebook></div></div>