The circle of life
A newly born bison calf, still showing its red umbilical cord, stays close to its mother on a cold morning.
Yellowstone Spring: Part 2
I chose May for a trip to Yellowstone this year with two goals in mind: one, was to avoid the summertime crowds and the other was to see animal babies. The trip was a success on both counts.
I knew that fewer visitors at this time of year meant I could explore the park more easily, with less frequent traffic jams and without someone looking over my shoulder at every stop. With less tourist commotion, I’d also have a better chance of seeing animals closer to the roads.
May is the time of bison babies. Another wobbly bison calf seemed to appear every day, some with a red umbilical cord still dangling from its stomach. Seeing the frost-covered, shivering calves reminded me that nature can be unforgiving. Newborns have to be tough right from the start to survive being dropped onto frozen ground and then asked to get up and run moments after birth.
A bison calf cuddles close its mother in Yellowstone.
Nap time for a calf and cow on a spring day in the Lamar Valley.
The new calves were fun to watch. However, I knew I wasn’t the only one watching. Wolves and coyotes were looking for meals, and newborns are prime targets. Often these predators will walk into a large herd of bison or elk, splitting the sea of animals to find the weak or young who get left behind. A newborn calf who can’t move as fast as its mother can become an easy target.
Sure enough, I found a coyote feeding on a bison calf along the Firehole River. The circle of life can be very short for many animals in Yellowstone.
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A coyote keeps a watchful eye while feeding on a bison calf.
