Later we learnt of our foolishness but then so did 80 or so others

That fitted in very well with our plans, as we had entered the Park from the Cooke City, north-east entrance, worked our way across the top to the North entrance and then looped round the central area before exiting in the west. The next day we went back into the park, completed the remainder of the central tour and exited from the east entrance. The only part of the Park we did not see was the Southern exit road.

But we were lucky. Apparently we had missed out on some of the Yellowstone wolves coming down to feed on a carcass early in the morning. We arrived at around 8.30am but were too late to see the wolves, which have been re-introduced into Yellowstone and have reset the natural balance in the process.

The gung-ho cowboy types might prefer to shoot the wolves on sight, but the four-legged animals are making a difference, not least to the streamside and riverside ecosystems. The cottonwoods, aspen and willow, which had become rare since the 1920’s when the US made a concerted effort to rid the country of wolves, have returned to the park and the riversides.

As a result, there has been an increase in the songbird population, which has also gone back to the river banks. All these developments have followed the reintroduction of wolves, for the simple reason, the elk is more wary of being caught by rivers and in open ground. They have moved up into the hills and mountains or into areas where there is a natural escape route.

So the elk are no longer eating the trees by rivers and they are growing again, along with the berry-producing trees and plants which attract songbirds, and another bi-product is the reduction of soil erosion.

The older, sicker elk are culled naturally by the wolves, instead of by human means and, while the elk population has dropped, it remains healthy, and at the same time the grizzly bear is grateful for the wolves, as they leave half-eaten carcasses, which the bears thrive upon. Their population is also showing an increase. Likewise, eagles magpies, ravens and foxes are grateful for the opportunity to pick the bones out of carasses.

So the wolf does have a place in the world and a contribution to make with regard to the natural balance of things.

As to being lucky, we entered the park at 8.30 and within the hour we had seen something people do not see in a fortnight of visits. You become used to the speed limit, which enables you to keep one eye on the road and another on the left, while Ellie’s eyes coursed the right-hand side.

The one criticism I would make of the park is that the visitors’ centres are not by the entrances and so we had travelled some 25 miles and stepped out of the car a few times, before we reached the centre and were able to see what was on offer and what you should and should not do.

We saw our first elk, plus deer and bison within ten minutes of entering the park and then Ellie shouted out “Bear!” I looked and a shape was walking along by the river 100 yards away. Ahead of us, two people were standing by their cars, taking photographs and we joined them.

The bear went down by the river, out of sight and, by the time it re-emerged, we had been joined by ten more carloads and busload of tourists.

When it did emerge, it was heading straight for us. “It’s a grizzly,” shouted one and another estimated it to be around 700 pounds in weight. Yogi kept on coming towards us, compulsively foraging in the annual bid to build up fat for the winter. And it kept right on coming, eyes glued to the ground.

It walked into a group of bushes which finished some 20 yards from us, but when it came back in sight, it was moving within 15 yards of us, yet its eyes were on the ground, ignoring the 100 or so souls watching it. The bear turned and moved parallel to the road but at no stage found the necessity to rear up on its legs to show us quite how big he was. Had he done so, there may well have been intense camera-shake.

I had already moved to the other side of the car, keeping the metal between me and it, but Ellie remained at less than 20 yards, quietly photographing the creature.

Later we were to learn that we were being even more foolish than we suspected.

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