In the News (from Discovery): “Wolves and grizzly bears would seem to be archenemies, but a new study shows how wolves are actually helping grizzly bears to obtain tasty, nutritious berries in Yellowstone National Park.

“The discovery shows just how tightly woven ecosystems are, and how the domino effect can both hurt and benefit members.

“The situation began to unfold back in the early 1900s, when officials had the short-sighted idea of moving wolves out of Yellowstone. It was called “predator control.” By the 1970’s, scientists found no evidence of a wolf population in Yellowstone, a verdant place that had previously been home to wolves for ages.

“In October 1991, Congress provided funds to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to start wolf restoration efforts at Yellowstone.

“The new study, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, examined how the re-introduction of wolves is affecting other wildlife in the park.

Lead author William Ripple, an Oregon State University professor in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, and his team found that, during the period with few or no wolves, elk herds expanded and over-browsed berry bushes. This was bad news for grizzly bears.

“’Wild fruit is typically an important part of grizzly bear diet, especially in late summer when they are trying to gain weight as rapidly as possible before winter hibernation,’ Ripple said in a press release. ‘Berries are one part of a diverse food source that aids bear survival and reproduction, and at certain times of the year can be more than half their diet in many places in North America.’

“Now, however, with wolves hunting elk again, there are more berries. Yellowstone is berry central for bears, with numerous types that they love: serviceberry, chokecherry, buffaloberry, twinberry, huckleberry and others.

“The new plethora of berries is additionally producing flowers of value to pollinators such as butterflies, insects and hummingbirds. Birds are eating the berries, as are other animals, both small and large.

“Since berries help bears put on fat before going into hibernation, it’s then predicted that grizzly bear populations will strengthen, adding a second avenue of control on elk and other wild ungulates, especially on newborns in the springtime.

“Achieving the right balance is important, though. Elks are critical to the ecosystem as well, so if their populations drop too much, more problems will surface. Taking a cue from history, however, park officials should probably let nature handle such matters on its own.”

My Comment: This conclusion can be extended to all human actions without exception: the construction of dams, drainage of wetlands, and many other interventions in nature. What can we do? After all, humanity has to develop. Against this, there is no objection, only that the development should be harmonious, without tragic consequences.

First of all, we need to correct our egoistic nature, attain the ability to feel and understand the surrounding nature and higher Nature, and then, based on the acquired feelings and qualities, mind and strength, intervene in the surrounding nature, preserving its balance: This will mean ascending to the levels of similarity, knowing, and unity with it—that is, with the Creator.
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Related Material:
Collaboration: A Property Inherent In Nature
An Imminent Threat To Biological Diversity
The Intelligent Parasite

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