eddm1962
Funeral in the rain (Explored)
This is what is commonly called a Bison Funeral.
Bison have such a strong instinct to protect members of their herd, that they urge members who are on the ground to get up and move with the herd. The ability to move with the herd and to act as one is how their defense system works. If you are on your feet and can move, then you can help the herd and yourself survive.
I have witnessed many such actions taken by bison, whether they are encouraging a young bison, an injured or tired bison, they seem to have the same resolve. Evolution has instilled a strong drive to encourage the animals to get to their feet, and to try to endure. This drive seems so strong that the animals are driven to use the same technique on lifeless animals as well. I have also witnessed bison acting the same way for other species, including elk and deer.
I try to not anthropomorphize these actions. This seems to be a well defined survival behavior that is well suited for an animal that uses the cooperative behavior of the herd for defense. This behavior evolved over millions of years and worked very well for millennia, as evidenced by the massive population of bison that roamed North America prior to the arrival of humans.
When man began to prey on bison, this behavior worked against them. When hunters would wound or kill an animal, the herd would be reluctant to leave the animals side. By staying near the animal, they remained close to the very thing that put their survival in danger. When Europeans began hunting the bison with firearms, they would refer to the behavior of assembling around a downed animal as a "stand". This allowed them to kill massive numbers of animals with next to no effort.
This is a very good example of how evolution works on a very long scale. Millions of years of genetically instilled behavior could not be "unlearned" in a short period of time, and the bison population paid the price.
The bison cow in this photo had been found near the road. There were no eyewitnesses, that I am aware of, as to how the bison died. Many people speculated that perhaps the animal was wounded when struck by a vehicle, or perhaps injured while being chased, and then brought down by wolves. When the discovery of the carcass was made, wolves were already feeding on it. As cruel as this all seems, this is a natural process of life and death. The death of this animal contributes to the life of the bears, wolves, coyotes, birds, and other animals who use the body of this animals to nourish themselves and their offspring.
Near the Yellowstone Picnic area, Yellowstone National Park.
Best viewed large.
Funeral in the rain (Explored)
This is what is commonly called a Bison Funeral.
Bison have such a strong instinct to protect members of their herd, that they urge members who are on the ground to get up and move with the herd. The ability to move with the herd and to act as one is how their defense system works. If you are on your feet and can move, then you can help the herd and yourself survive.
I have witnessed many such actions taken by bison, whether they are encouraging a young bison, an injured or tired bison, they seem to have the same resolve. Evolution has instilled a strong drive to encourage the animals to get to their feet, and to try to endure. This drive seems so strong that the animals are driven to use the same technique on lifeless animals as well. I have also witnessed bison acting the same way for other species, including elk and deer.
I try to not anthropomorphize these actions. This seems to be a well defined survival behavior that is well suited for an animal that uses the cooperative behavior of the herd for defense. This behavior evolved over millions of years and worked very well for millennia, as evidenced by the massive population of bison that roamed North America prior to the arrival of humans.
When man began to prey on bison, this behavior worked against them. When hunters would wound or kill an animal, the herd would be reluctant to leave the animals side. By staying near the animal, they remained close to the very thing that put their survival in danger. When Europeans began hunting the bison with firearms, they would refer to the behavior of assembling around a downed animal as a "stand". This allowed them to kill massive numbers of animals with next to no effort.
This is a very good example of how evolution works on a very long scale. Millions of years of genetically instilled behavior could not be "unlearned" in a short period of time, and the bison population paid the price.
The bison cow in this photo had been found near the road. There were no eyewitnesses, that I am aware of, as to how the bison died. Many people speculated that perhaps the animal was wounded when struck by a vehicle, or perhaps injured while being chased, and then brought down by wolves. When the discovery of the carcass was made, wolves were already feeding on it. As cruel as this all seems, this is a natural process of life and death. The death of this animal contributes to the life of the bears, wolves, coyotes, birds, and other animals who use the body of this animals to nourish themselves and their offspring.
Near the Yellowstone Picnic area, Yellowstone National Park.
Best viewed large.