The Yellowstone we know today was arguably less wild a century ago when caretakers had Draconian ideas about predators, had poor understanding of wildlife biology and sometimes saw their role as choreographing an entertaining experience for visitors fit for the times.  Here, elk are fed by hand in the Lamar Valley in about 1930, around the time wolves were ruthlessly eliminated from the park. Photographer unknown/courtesy NPS
The Yellowstone we know today was arguably less wild a century ago when caretakers had Draconian ideas about predators, had poor understanding of wildlife biology and sometimes saw their role as choreographing an entertaining experience for visitors fit for the times. Here, elk are fed by hand in the Lamar Valley in about 1930, around the time wolves were ruthlessly eliminated from the park. Photographer unknown/courtesy NPS