The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park starting in 1995 is an important case study for understanding the consequences of predation on a prey population. Early research predicted that wolf predation of elk would have a modest influence on elk abundance. Predation of elk by wolves has been well documented and elk have remained the primary prey for wolves despite a decline in elk abundance.

I estimated age-specific elk survival and influence of wolf predation and environmental factors on elk survival. Survival and wolf-caused mortality rates are reported in Chapter 14 of Yellowstone Wolves.