in Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book he has a quote that says for the strength
has a quote that says for the strength
has a quote that says for the strength of the pack is the wolf and the strength
of the pack is the wolf and the strength
of the pack is the wolf and the strength of the wolf is the pack yellowstone
of the wolf is the pack yellowstone
of the wolf is the pack yellowstone lives and breathes wolves in the last 20
lives and breathes wolves in the last 20
lives and breathes wolves in the last 20 years I wanted to photograph them and
years I wanted to photograph them and
years I wanted to photograph them and bring that to light this is my first
bring that to light this is my first
bring that to light this is my first project with National Geographic I’d
project with National Geographic I’d
project with National Geographic I’d been in Yellowstone for several months
been in Yellowstone for several months
been in Yellowstone for several months my role was solely as Nick Nichols
my role was solely as Nick Nichols
my role was solely as Nick Nichols assistant he suggested I pick up the
assistant he suggested I pick up the
assistant he suggested I pick up the wolf issue in Yellowstone and picked up
wolf issue in Yellowstone and picked up
wolf issue in Yellowstone and picked up wild wolves inside the park
up until the mid-80s biologists thought
up until the mid-80s biologists thought that ecosystems were built from the
that ecosystems were built from the
that ecosystems were built from the bottom up from the vegetation all the
bottom up from the vegetation all the
bottom up from the vegetation all the way up through the insects and all the
way up through the insects and all the
way up through the insects and all the way up through the layers and that the
way up through the layers and that the
way up through the layers and that the top predators just kind of fed off of
top predators just kind of fed off of
top predators just kind of fed off of the extras Yellowstone has given the
the extras Yellowstone has given the
the extras Yellowstone has given the world an opportunity to see that it’s
world an opportunity to see that it’s
world an opportunity to see that it’s very much on both sides that an apex
very much on both sides that an apex
very much on both sides that an apex predator is a key part of the landscape
predator is a key part of the landscape
predator is a key part of the landscape we were able to partner with the parks
we were able to partner with the parks
we were able to partner with the parks biologists to have this you know mutual
biologists to have this you know mutual
biologists to have this you know mutual relationship with them where we could
relationship with them where we could
relationship with them where we could get images for them that they had never
get images for them that they had never
get images for them that they had never seen before and try to capture behaviors
seen before and try to capture behaviors
seen before and try to capture behaviors that they had never seen before
my favorite photograph from this project
my favorite photograph from this project is definitely three wolves feeding on a
is definitely three wolves feeding on a
is definitely three wolves feeding on a bison carcass along the Yellowstone
bison carcass along the Yellowstone
bison carcass along the Yellowstone River this was a scene that we were able
River this was a scene that we were able
River this was a scene that we were able to kind of pull the curtain back on
to kind of pull the curtain back on
to kind of pull the curtain back on Yellowstone and the Wolves near the
Yellowstone and the Wolves near the
Yellowstone and the Wolves near the situation just it came together one of
situation just it came together one of
situation just it came together one of the primary tools in wildlife
the primary tools in wildlife
the primary tools in wildlife photography that I use is camera traps
photography that I use is camera traps
photography that I use is camera traps and the goal of camera traps is fairly
and the goal of camera traps is fairly
and the goal of camera traps is fairly simple it’s to give the viewer an
simple it’s to give the viewer an
simple it’s to give the viewer an intimate experience with an animal that
intimate experience with an animal that
intimate experience with an animal that you can’t get any other way oftentimes
you can’t get any other way oftentimes
you can’t get any other way oftentimes when you put a camera on a carcass you
when you put a camera on a carcass you
when you put a camera on a carcass you can’t be there you have to put the
can’t be there you have to put the
can’t be there you have to put the camera set it up and leave and walk away
camera set it up and leave and walk away
camera set it up and leave and walk away and hope for the best
and hope for the best
and hope for the best and the bear is probably going to wreck
and the bear is probably going to wreck
and the bear is probably going to wreck your camera that’s like–that’s that’s
your camera that’s like–that’s that’s
your camera that’s like–that’s that’s pretty much a given on this project but
pretty much a given on this project but
pretty much a given on this project but you could get a couple images that allow
you could get a couple images that allow
you could get a couple images that allow you to open up this world of the wolves
you to open up this world of the wolves
you to open up this world of the wolves that people had never seen before
that people had never seen before
that people had never seen before if there’s one thing that people could
if there’s one thing that people could
if there’s one thing that people could take away from the photographs that I’ve
take away from the photographs that I’ve
take away from the photographs that I’ve created of wolves in Yellowstone I’d say
created of wolves in Yellowstone I’d say
created of wolves in Yellowstone I’d say it’s the wolves have an integral part of
it’s the wolves have an integral part of
it’s the wolves have an integral part of the ecosystem in Yellowstone all
the ecosystem in Yellowstone all
the ecosystem in Yellowstone all throughout their home range they control
throughout their home range they control
throughout their home range they control the big grazers they control the elk and
the big grazers they control the elk and
the big grazers they control the elk and the Bison and the deer the animals are
the Bison and the deer the animals are
the Bison and the deer the animals are healthier throughout and the wolf has
healthier throughout and the wolf has
healthier throughout and the wolf has just given balance to the entire
just given balance to the entire
just given balance to the entire ecosystem political boundaries mean
ecosystem political boundaries mean
ecosystem political boundaries mean nothing to nature
nothing to nature
nothing to nature it’s a permeable boundary and they just
it’s a permeable boundary and they just
it’s a permeable boundary and they just move back and forth as their biology
move back and forth as their biology
move back and forth as their biology dictates
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