THE WORLD’S FIRST NATIONAL PARK Snow covers Yellowstone National Park in early November The deep snow does not stop a pack of wolves They tear hungrily at an elk carcass Two wolves wear radio collars Biologists put the collars on the wolves to track them Signals from the collars have led them to the kill site The researchers watch the animals and take notes The data they collect will help them better understand Nothing goes to waste in Yellowstone's rugged wilderness 5 CHAPTER ONE
the role of wolves in the park ecosystem The wolves eventually leave the carcass Ravens and a coyote take their place Yellowstone National Park is known for its wildlife Wolves coyotes elk and ravens are a few of the almost 400 species that live there The park is also known for its geysers waterfalls hot springs and forests Most of Yellowstone is located in northwest Wyoming The park also spreads into Idaho and Montana Mountain ranges border all sides of Yellowstone which gets its name from the Yellowstone River The river runs through the park 6 Yellowstone Visitors Getting to Yellowstone National Park was difficult for most of the 1800s The nearest railroad stopped 500 miles 805 km from the park Visitors then had to ride a stagecoach the rest of the way Only 300 people visited Yellowstone in 1872 its first year as a national park Attendance began to soar after completion of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1883 Now more than 4 million people from around the world visit the park each year
The Yellowstone River is the longest river without a dam in the lower 48 states A Land of Extremes The weather in Yellowstone can be unpredictable Winter temperatures drop below freezing The average yearly snowfall is approximately 150 inches 381 cm Heavy snowstorms and avalanches occur in both winter and spring Summer brings booming afternoon thunderstorms The animals in Yellowstone adapt to the extreme climate They also adapt to different habitats There are forests meadows and grasslands Rivers streams 7
