Learning From Nature

Nature has many lessons to teach about the problems that surround us. To paraphrase Felix Frankfurter, her decisions may be both final because they are absolute and absolute because they are final.

There was an interesting followup today in the New York Times about the recent reference to introduction of wolves in Yellowstone Park. An annual census found a precipitous drop in the population of wolves in the park. The census found 22 pups, compared with 69 last year, and the total count of wolves dropped to 118 from 171.

Park biologists suspect a canine paravirus. There is a vaccination for paravirus and it can be treated, but the park biologists have decided to let nature to run its course. They could not catch every animal and this course of action allows the wolves to develop natural resistence.

This will be worth following for its impact upon the wolves and upon the ecology of the park. There has to be a lesson for us in the process and the outcome. As far as the elk are concerned the situation must be somewhat like salvation as in War of the Worlds.

Ah, Mother Nature, not always so sweet.