Watch The Sighting:
As summer unfolds across Yellowstone National Park, the vast meadows come alive with activity. Herds of American bison move in tight groups across the valleys, and this time of year marks one of the most dramatic moments in their life cycle: the rut.
Wildlife videographer Judy Lehmberg has a lot of experience capturing incredible footage of bison in Yellowstone National Park. On one particular blue-sky day, the bison were particularly photogenic with cuddly calves playing in the meadows and battles between bulls on full display!
Bison On The Move
Judy’s footage starts as the herd makes their way alongside a rushing river while grazing on the lush grass. During the late summer months, most calves, nicknamed ‘red dogs’, have grown and are less vulnerable to predation.
Judy watched as the calves chased each other playfully and frolicked in the fields while always remaining close to their mothers. In the more intimate moments, the calves cuddled up with their mothers and each other, protected by the collective vigilance of the herd.
Later, Judy filmed the herd crossing the river in an incredible show of strength. Judy explained that Yellowstone holds the largest herd of bison, totalling around 4,900 individuals, only a fraction of the bison that once roamed North America’s prairies.
The Drama Of The Rut
Between late July and early September, rutting season unfolds within bison herds. During this time, males (bulls) compete for mating rights and female attention through displays of strength and physical confrontation.
Bulls become highly aggressive towards each other and will exhibit behaviours such as wallowing (the creation of dusty depressions by rolling on the ground), charging, head-shaking, snorting, and bellowing. When it comes to physical confrontation, males will engage in fights where they clash their horns, head-butt and push each other with extreme force.
By fighting, males put themselves at risk of injury and even death, but if victorious, they will earn the respect of the herd and be more successful at reproducing. Judy watched in awe as the bulls put on a fearless show, digging with their hooves and rolling around in the dirt.
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They bellowed and charged at each other, clashing their horns with terrifying force! Amid the dust and thunder of rutting season, it’s easy to forget that these massive beasts were once on the brink of disappearing from the landscape entirely.
Nature’s Cycles In Motion
Yellowstone National Park is unique in that it is one of the only places in the U.S. where bison have roamed freely and continuously since prehistoric times. Driven nearly to extinction in the 19th century, their recovery is one of the greatest conservation successes in North America, making them an iconic symbol of resilience.
In scenes like this, we witness the cycles of life, birth, growth, rivalry, and survival. With bison being integral to the functioning of ecosystems within Yellowstone, the conservation efforts that protect this species don’t just preserve a symbol of the past, they also safeguard the future of the ecosystems they inhabit.