1. By Andy Marble

4.  Yellowstone is located in northwestern Wyoming and southwestern Montana (for the three of you that didn’t already know that).  Yellowstone contains two thirds of the world’s geysers.

5.  Geysers are not biological.

6.  Yellowstone can be divided into two basic categories- valley and mountain regions.  The valleys range from 6,400 ft. to 7,000 ft. in elevation.  The mountains rise to 10,000 ft.

7.  Bison  Elk  Moose  Grizzly Bear  Wolf

9.  Fully grown cows weigh up to 1,000 pounds while fully grown bulls can weigh up to 18,000 pounds.  Stand at an average of six feet high at the shoulders.  Despite their size, bison can move quickly, running up to 40 miles per hour.

10.  Bison have passive natures and are content simply to eat (wouldn’t we all be?)  However, bison can get provoked by people who get too close and seem threatening.

11.  Bison spend all of their time in the valley areas.  Graze all year long.  Born in the spring.

13.  Cows weigh up to 550 pounds and bulls weigh up to 700 pounds.  Bulls have the famous antlers that sometimes weigh 30 pounds by themselves and average at six to eight points.  Most numerous large mammal in Yellowstone.

14.  Elk graze in the mountain regions during spring, summer, and fall.  During the winter they move to the valleys for protection.  Calves born in the spring.

16.  Cows can weigh up to 800 pounds and bulls can weigh up to 1300 pounds.  Famous “blunt noses”  Unusual antler type  Big and bad

17.  Unlike other large herbivores, moose are generally solitary creatures.  Exceptions are calves staying with mothers and mating season.  Stick to swampy, wet areas.  Eat trees rather than grasses

19.  Males can be 725 pounds while females are an average of 428 pounds.  Hump on the shoulders distinguishes from black bears.  Usually brown

20.  Hibernate in the winter.  Prefers the open meadow areas.  Eats nuts, berries, insects, small rodents, larger animals, roots, ect.  Usually stay away from humans.

22.  Looks like a big dog (with really sharp teeth).  Gray and black striped pelt.  Small compared to grizzlies, bison, elk, and moose.

23.  Roams in packs.  Each pack has a specific area.  Better hunting and protection.

24.  This is just the tip of the iceberg  The Yellowstone ecosystem is very complex on many levels, and in order to maintain that diversity, human contact needs to be kept to a minimum.

25.  http://www.treehugger.com/gray_wolf.jpg http://www.treehugger.com/gray_wolf.jpg  http://www.ownbyphotography.com/Bison.jpg http://www.ownbyphotography.com/Bison.jpg  http://www.wildnatureimages.com/A%20to%20C3000/BUFFALO- HERD-YNP..jpg http://www.wildnatureimages.com/A%20to%20C3000/BUFFALO- HERD-YNP..jpg  http://www.elk-pictures.com/elk-call1.jpg http://www.elk-pictures.com/elk-call1.jpg  http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/IMAGES/Alaska/MOOSE.jpg http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/IMAGES/Alaska/MOOSE.jpg  http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1BS26hskizY/S5kv0Vh2WsI/AAAAAAAAA AM/pImt7CiRUrc/s320/happy_moose.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1BS26hskizY/S5kv0Vh2WsI/AAAAAAAAA AM/pImt7CiRUrc/s320/happy_moose.jpg  http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/Stat icFiles/animals/images/primary/grizzly-bear.jpg http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/Stat icFiles/animals/images/primary/grizzly-bear.jpg  http://xoy80.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/yellowstone_bear.jpg http://xoy80.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/yellowstone_bear.jpg  http://www.tejamovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Gray- Wolf-2.jpg http://www.tejamovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Gray- Wolf-2.jpg