When Yellowstone was first named a national park in 1872, there was no legal protection for any of the wild animals (Dockrill, 2018). Over time, government predator control programs contributed significantly to the mass culling and subsequent extirpation of gray wolves in Yellowstone by 1926 (Wikipedia, 2019). The eradication of this apex predator has had unintended consequences on the ecosystem causing a trophic cascade (Dockrill, 2018). The absence of the gray wolf has caused a great relief from predatory pressure for the moose population, causing it to thrive (Farquhar, 2019). This increase in numbers has resulted in significant overharvesting of aspen and willow trees, trees that provide a vital shelter, food, and dam-building resource for beavers that migrated to the northern area of ​​the park. As a result, these dams collapsed, transforming the swamps into streams. There has been severe stream erosion and loss of mature aspen, poplar and willow trees, affecting a range of plant and animal species. In the wolf's absence, the coyote became an apex predator, diminishing populations of red foxes, rodents, pronghorn antelope, and birds. Local scavenger species, including grizzly bears, eagles and ravens, have also suffered greatly, with no wolves to rely on and feed on. After the wolf was reintroduced to the Northern Range ecosystem, coyote numbers dropped dramatically by 50 percent, allowing fox, rodent and antelope populations to flourish again. The elk population began to decline, and the single beaver colony swelled to 12. Insects, birds, amphibians, and fish began to thrive again, as did vegetation. Populations of scavengers also adapted well, feeding on the wolves' scraps. Wolves caused rivers to repair, erode and collapse less thanks to the regenerating stability of vegetation. Many more pools were formed. Elk have also changed their behaviors, avoiding valleys and ravines, places where they could be trapped by predators allowing these areas to regenerate significantly (Earthjustice, 2019). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay When it was first established, there were no protection laws for animals in the park, people were essentially free to hunt all wildlife. The Secretary of the Interior declared a policy prohibiting hunting of most of the park's wildlife in 1883, however, the policy did not apply to wolves, bears, coyotes, and other predators. Poisoning was a form of predator control used in the park in the late 1800s and early 1900s (Wikipedia, 2019). Poisoning is a highly unethical form and inhumane method of predator control, involving unnecessary pain and cruelty. The Yellowstone National Park Act of 1872 again stated that the Secretary of the Interior will protect against the ferocious destruction of all wildlife within the park, however, habitual killings of prey by wolves were considered "ferocious destruction", causing death of at least 136 wolves. they were killed in the park from 1914 to 1926. By the mid-1900s, wolves had been almost completely eliminated throughout North America (National Park Service, n.d.). Governments' public vocalization and actions against wolves have influenced the public's view of wolves, leading them to believe that their gifts are a nuisance and to support the idea that the park will thrive without them (Wikipedia, 2019). Predators maintain balance in a,.