National Geographic LIVE Doug Smith: Wild Wolves of Yellowstone

Back by popular demand, National Geographic LIVE shares the stories behind the world-renowned photos and articles of National Geographic.

Yellowstone National Park’s two million acres of wilderness contain many stories, including one of the best case studies in wildlife conservation. Doug Smith led the project that reintroduced gray wolves to Yellowstone in the 1990s. Go behind the scenes—including never-before-seen photos and videos—of the quest to bring wolves back and the incredible changes after they arrived.

 

Doug Smith was a wildlife biologist at Yellowstone National Park for nearly three decades and studied everything from beavers to birds. Most importantly, he led the Yellowstone Wolf Project, which reintroduced gray wolves to the park. He’s written numerous scientific publications and featured in four National Geographic television specials. He has also written and edited several books about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including the 2023 book: Yellowstone’s Birds: Diversity and Abundance in the World’s First National Park.