Reflections on a week in Yellowstone 4-21-23
“The foreseeable outcome is that in the year 2150, when human population peaks at around eleven billion, alpha predators will have ceased to exist — except behind chain-link fencing, high-strength glass, and steel bars. After that time, as memory recedes and the zoo populations become ever more genetically attenuated, ever more conveniently docile, ever more distantly derivative from the real thing, people will find it hard to conceive that those animals were once proud, dangerous, unpredictable, widespread, and kingly, prowling free among the same forests, rivers, estuaries, and oceans used by humanity. Adults, except a few recalcitrant souls, will take their absence for granted. Children will be startled and excited to learn, if anyone tells them, that once there were lions at large in the very world.”
– David Quammen, Monster of God (2003).
What did we see this week as we got off the beaten path?
We got to see some wildness this week. Not so much wilderness — we weren’t that far out. We had the benefits of roads, spotting scopes, radios, rest stops. But far away from our suburban normal we saw predation on a much grander scale than any of us are used to. There are wolves at large in the very world.
Our students made the choice last fall to come with us to Yellowstone in April, with several other terrific options to choose from. And I commend them for making that choice, for whatever reasons they had, to come try something completely different. Because this was different. We were far away, and it was 18 degrees when we left the cabin on Wednesday morning, dark and cold! I enjoyed spending time with them this week, sharing music, cooking dinner, playing Hearts, driving the road along the northern range, playing Bear-Boulder-Bison, always scanning. At the end of the week we had a chance to reflect together, and I was impressed with what they had to say. What will they remember, what did they learn, what will they take away? What’s important to conserve and protect? If you know these young people, ask them.
I feel lucky that this was our classroom for the week. I enjoy getting off the beaten path, and Yellowstone is one of my favorite places on the planet. We partnered this week with the organization Yellowstone Forever, the official non-profit and educational arm of the National Park Service. They do incredible work. Thanks to Amanda for taking us out each day, sharing her expertise, working with our students, explaining topics in vertebrate zoology, geology, ecology, thermal bio, genetics, natural selection, issues related to wildlife management, and history of the park and the region. I learn something new every time I’m here. If you’re planning on visiting the park, check them out.
We talked about a hundred books or so this week. Tangential suggestions for further reading:
- Monster of God – David Quammen
- The Mind of a Raven – Bernd Heinrich
- Decade of the Wolf – Doug Smith
- American Wolf – Nate Blakeslee
- Song of the Dodo – David Quammen
- The Making of the Fittest – Sean B. Carroll
- The Wolverine Way – Doug Chadwick
- World Without Us – Alan Weisman
- The Big Burn – Tim Egan
- I Contain Multitudes – Ed Yong
- Last Child in the Woods – Richard Louv
- Heart of a Lion – Will Stoltzenberg
Leave a comment