Striking Photos Reveal the Legacy of Yellowstone’s Wolves—30 Years After Their Return

Detailed summary

Three decades after the animals were reintroduced to the national park, revisit the legendary predators through National Geographic's archives.

Three decades after the animals were reintroduced to the national park, revisit the legendary predators through National Geographic's archives.

Once eradicated by the government in the 1920s to protect livestock, gray wolves made a historic comeback in 1995 and 1996. In the three decades since, they’ve become some of North America’s most iconic—and controversial—wild animals.

Some have become legends in their own right. There’s Wolf 8, a runt that eventually rose to leader status, and O-6, a formidable hunter known for taking down elk single-handedly. O-6 and her daughter, Spitfire, were both killed legally by hunters after wandering beyond the park’s borders.

Whole packs have also become household names. For instance, Mollie’s Pack, originally known as the Crystal Creek Pack, descends from the first animals reintroduced to the park from Canada.

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