Page 160 - Real English 2024 Book 8

REAL ENGLISH 8

F Learn by Doing

F1 Nature regenerates itself

There is perfect harmony in nature if only man does not interfere with its functioning. If given
sufficient time to heal, nature regenerates itself and balance is restored. The article given below
shows how things changed in the USA’s Yellowstone National Park with the reintroduction of
wolves.

How Wolves Restored the Natural Balance in Yellowstone National Park

Two decades ago, Yellowstone National Park was As a top predator, wolves are vital to
the victim of defoliation, erosion and an unbalanced Yellowstone, holding together the delicate balance
ecosystem. But in 1995, everything changed. of predator and prey. Their removal in the early
That was the year wolves were reintroduced to twentieth century disrupted food webs. The
the park. Before then, government predator control wolves’ natural prey (in this case, elk) multiplied,
programmes had all but eliminated the grey wolf all the while increasing amounts of foliage. The
from America’s lower 48 states. Consequently, deer phenomenon occurred again in reverse when the
and elk populations increased substantially, resulting wolves were reintroduced and the natural balance
in overgrazing, particularly of willows and other was restored.
vegetation important to soil and riverbank structure, When wolves were brought back to the park,
leaving the landscape vulnerable to erosion. Without they not only killed elk, but also changed their
wolves, the entire ecosystem of the park suffered. prey’s behaviour patterns. The herbivores started
The documentary How Wolves Change Rivers to avoid areas like valleys and gorges where they
gives a captivating explanation for Yellowstone’s could be easily hunted by predators. As a result,
turnaround. British writer George Monbiot lends his those areas began to regenerate, and species such
voice to this documentary, and his zeal is infectious as birds, beavers, mice and bears returned. Plant
as he describes how wolves reinvigorated the park. life once again thrived along the riverbanks and
‘We all know that wolves kill many animals, but erosion decreased significantly. The stabilization of
perhaps we’re slightly less aware that they give the riverbanks actually made the rivers and streams
life to many others,’ he says in the film. So much change course. With the reintroduction of just a
of our knowledge of these creatures focuses on small population of wolves, the landscape of the
their potential threat to humans, rather than their whole park transformed. Efforts to boost wild wolf
biological importance. populations are essential, not just for Canis lupus,
but also for the greater natural world.

1. Can man and animal coexist peacefully? Can we prevent our lifestyles from damaging the
environment? Discuss with a partner.

2. Prepare an illustrated chart based on the information in the article.

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