NARRATOR: The
grazing animals must
struggle mightily in search
of a few blades of grass.
Many elk grow weak
as winter drags on,
but someone else grows strong.
The wolf thrives in winter.
Highly intelligent
and social creatures,
they often show a deep
affection for one another.
Their intense family
ties also make
them a deadly hunting unit.
Once completely
exterminated from the park,
gray wolves were
reintroduced in 1995
and have become a vital player
in the park's ecosystem.
Eagerly chasing a big
bull elk, the wolf is
in its element in Yellowstone.
[tense music]
But this bull didn't earn his
rank by being anyone's fool.
He finds refuge in the
frigid Lamar River,
where the wolves
cannot follow, and aims
his impressive rack at them.
[howling]
But another dinner awaits, as
the rest of the pack announces.
They've taken a weakened
bison during the night,
and there's more than
enough to go around.
With such a large pack to
feed, they need to hunt
successfully nearly every day.
[music playing]
