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Yellowstone wolf biologist honored

By SCOTT McMILLION, Chronicle Staff Writer

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. -- The head of Yellowstone's wolf project has been honored with awards from both the regional and national directors of the National Park Service.


 Doug Smith, who has been working with wolves here since they were reintroduced in 1995, said he felt humbled by the awards. He credited his colleagues, volunteers in the wolf program and his wife for making his work a success.

He also thanked the wolves.

"Riding their coattails through this has been relatively easy," he said Wednesday at a ceremony held during a scientific conference.

Smith, a Ph.D. biologist, oversees management of the about 150 wolves running the park in about 14 packs.

His job also includes dealing with ranchers who live near the park, the news media, scientists and bureaucrats.

"And he still hasn't lost his sense of humor," noted his boss, John Varley, the chief of the Yellowstone Center for Resources.

Wolf recovery is controversial among people, but has been a howling success from the wolf's point of view.

"What you have done," said Lee Talbot, one of the authors for the Richard Nixon administration of the original Endangered Species Act in 1973, "is exactly what we hoped would happen with many, if not most, endangered species."

Scott McMillion is at scottm@dailychronicle.com

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