For ecologists, the return of wolverines to Mount Rainier National Park after more than 100 years is an exciting development. For the rest of us, it provides an interesting opportunity to consider the complexity of nature and the impact of conservation.
Scientists recently confirmed the return of the animals to the park, capturing photos of a female named Joni and two babies, called kits. Wolverines look like small bears but actually are the largest member of the weasel family — ranging from 2 feet to 3 1/2 feet in length. An estimated 300 to 1,000 live in the lower 48 states.
“Many species that live at high elevation in the Pacific Northwest, such as the wolverine, are of particular conservation concern due to their unique evolutionary histories and their sensitivity to climate change,” Jocelyn Akins, founder of the Cascades Carnivore Project, said in a statement. “They serve as indicators of future changes that will eventually affect more tolerant species and, as such, make good models for conservation in a changing world.”
While wolverines are a small part of the ecosystem in Mount Rainier National Park, the discovery calls to mind the remarkable transformation that has taken place in Yellowstone National Park.
In 1995, the grey wolf was reintroduced to the park, some 60 years after being killed off. Because the wolf is an apex predator, its return has had a profound impact on Yellowstone. “It is like kicking a pebble down a mountain slope where conditions were just right that a falling pebble could trigger an avalanche of change,” biologist Doug Smith explains on the Yellowstone website.
The return of the wolf reduced elk populations in the park and caused the elk to alter their behavior. When wolves are present, elk roam in smaller groups and spend less time browsing willow, aspen and cottonwood plants along streams. That led to an increase in songbirds inhabiting those plants, and reduced erosion along river banks caused by elk herds.
The introduction of wolves also led to a revival of the park’s beaver population. In 1995, there was one beaver colony in Yellowstone; now there are nine. The beavers built dams that have improved fish habitat and even altered the course of rivers. “What we’re finding is that ecosystems are incredibly complex,” Smith said.
All of that is notable with a recent decision by the U.S. Department of the Interior to not reintroduce grizzlies to North Cascades National Park. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt last month said his agency will not conduct the environmental impact statement needed to move forward with the idea, citing opposition from residents in Central Washington.
The Trump administration, he said, will focus on continuing efforts to grow grizzly populations across their existing range, which includes parts of Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Eastern Washington.
Environmentalists decried the decision, noting that the grizzly population in North Cascades is believed to be about 10.
All of that is a far cry from the discovery of a family of wolverines in Mount Rainier National Park, but the issues are related. Conservation, care for wilderness areas and protections for individual species have a ripple effect that impact dozens or hundreds of codependent species. With climate change posing a growing threat and highlighting the need for effective wilderness management, the issue is more pressing now than ever before.
And you shouldn’t have to be an ecologist to understand its importance.
