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Spring is in the air, and so are the various baby animals that can be spotted around the Yellowstone National Park. Usually they’re in the air because they’re naughty little bear cubs that have climbed high in the trees.
Whether you’re in the area looking to spot playful puppies, cavorting kits or baby badgers, there’s a lot of cute little animals to see taking tiny steps and experiencing the wilds for the first time.
Little Baby Bear Cubs
The Yellowstone area hosts a large number of bears, both grizzlies and black bears, and their cubs are both incredibly cute. Grizzly bear cubs of up to one year old, not far from being independent, and tiny little cubs that are only a few months play around their mothers.
Black bear cubs that will be on their own even a couple of months from now play amongst the tree branches, enjoying their carefree time before they’re expected to act like adults.
Tiny Coyote Pups
Bears are far from the only offering the Yellowstone has, and there are smaller animals which are just as cute, like these little coyote pups relaxing on the big rocks.
Coyotes emerge from their dens to experience the world for the first time when they’re only a few weeks old. The females in this litter would stay with their mother while the males will be leaving in less than a year in search of their own territories.
Newborn Bison
One which looks very little like its mother in its youth is the little newborn bison. Little is, of course, a relative term here as this calf still looks to be a good size, until the mother stands up and the difference between them is clear.
This calf has a lot of growing up to do over the next few years if it is going to reach the sheer scale of its mother. Until then, it’s quite content resting its little head on her bulk.
The Owls And The Otters
High up in the trees, and possibly trying to avoid the games of the baby black bears, the great grey owl chicks look out from their nest for the first time. It looks adorably uncertain when it raises its little wings, and it’s got at least a week or two yet before it learns to fly for the first time.
Meanwhile, on the ground and near the water, the otter babies don’t have to worry about flying, but they will have to wait several months before they can swim in the same way that their parents can.
Badger Babies And Fox Kits
In a very different den, tiny badgers are starting to explore the great big outside world, but they’re too busy playing with each other to appreciate just how small they really are. They’ll have spent several months in their den before emerging into the light of day, and it’ll be a few more months before they’re ready to strike out on their own.
Also emerging from their dens are the red fox kits, which will live with their mother for less than a year before they spread out in search of their own homes. The females won’t go as far as the males in search of their own territories, but until then their only concern is being small and cute.
Big Baby Elk
Another big baby is this elk calf which has a long way to go before becoming an adult. Unlike the smaller animals that will often be independent from their mothers in less than a year, this baby has at least four years until it can be considered an adult.
Until then it’s still one of the bigger babies you might spot while exploring the Yellowstone National Park. Spring is definitely one of the cutest times to visit the area, when all these animals are starting to explore and play outside for the first time.