Since you're such an expert a homonyms let's see how you are with numbers and citations:
- The moose population in Yellowstone National Park trend count shows a decrease to almost zero. (Source: 2009 Wolf-Ungulate Study Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)
- The Northern Yellostone herd, trend count has dropped from nearly 19,000 elk in 1995 before the introdcution of the Canadian gray wolf to just over 6,000 elk in 2008. 60% reduction. (Source: 2009 Wolf-Ungulate Study Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)
- The Gallatin Canyon elk herd trend count...has dropped from around 1,048 to 338 (elk) in 2008. (Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)
- The Madison Firehole elk herd trend count has dropped from 700 to 108 (elk) in 2008. (Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)
Now are you paying attention? This one is important.
- The calf survival rate for those same elk herds mentioned above, where wolves are present, is extremely low amounting to as little as 10% or less recruitment or survival rate. Nearly any wildlife profession will tell you this is unnacceptable recruitment or survival rate. Acceptable wildlife science tells us that a 25-40% survival rate is necessary for herd sustainability.
Further, a recent MSU study shows those elk that remain in Northern Yellostone herd are in below standard health as they are not feeding where and how they normally do and the females are not getting pregnant as they should due to hormonal imablances. (See Montana State unversity Study by Professor Scott Creel in July 2009: funded by the National Science Foundation)
This information was taken from the RMEF letter to the Deaf's of Wildlife which can be seen in it's entirety right here:
http://www.rmef.org/NR/rdonlyres/B57...fenders410.pdf