Wolf Pack Feeding on Bull Elk, Yellowstone in Winter - stock photo

Four gray wolves (Canis lupus) surround the carcass of a bull elk in the snowy backcountry of Yellowstone National Park, their breath steaming in the frigid air. The scene reflects both brutality and balance—wolves are keystone predators, and their hunting of large herbivores like elk helps prevent overgrazing, allowing riparian vegetation to recover. Yellowstone’s wolves often operate in highly structured packs, each with a dominant breeding pair and a clear social hierarchy. Their kills serve as feeding grounds for an entire winter community, supporting eagles, coyotes, foxes, and even grizzly bears. Despite the ecological benefits they bring, wolves remain controversial outside park boundaries, where they are subject to hunting and legal culling. Yellowstone’s interior offers a rare refuge where their natural behaviors can still unfold.