Wolves

by Daniel S. Licht

By the year 1990 wolves had been missing from Yellowstone National Park for over half a century. Absent the apex predator the ecosystem was in peril, with elk eating every last blade of grass. So conservationists, led by the attractive and determined Virginia Paisly, were pushing the federal government to reintroduced the species back into the park. Yet the government, led by the biologist Steve Ireland, met resistance at every step, especially from hostile ranching groups. The entire process was becoming bogged down by fighting and bureaucracy. But unbeknownst to everyone, a lone wolf traveled down the Rocky Mountains and into the park under the cover of darkness. The wolf set up its territory on the edge of the park, near the ranch of Pius Grunseth, a crotchety old rancher who despised wolves almost as much as he despised city slickers and the "damn gummint." If the wolf was killed, and the government was stopped, then wolves might never be back in Yellowstone, to the delight of Pius. But if it wasn't killed, then there would be no stopping the return. Pius didn't like change, but change would happen.

202 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 25, 2021