Meanwhile, at Yellowstone National Park…
An incredible video of a bull bison charging another male was uploaded to Yellowstone’s Facebook page by park staff.
Officials explained the situation, saying, “Bison mating season is still going on in the park. Male bison are particularly aggressive right now, though all bison and other wildlife can be dangerous,” they wrote. “Remember to always keep your distance—25 yards from bison and elk; 100 yards from all other wildlife.”
Yellowstone National Park is the only place in the United States with a continuously free-ranging bison population that has existed since prehistoric times. Before humans came into the picture, the beasts roamed nearly all of North America; Now, you can only see them in the wild in national and state parks and nature reserves. Today, roughly 5,000 bison call Yellowstone home.
Bison are the largest terrestrial animal in North America, with males standing up to six feet tall and weighing nearly 2,000 pounds. Their rutting season begins in June and extending into September in the park, and you’ll want to steer clear. During this time, the bulls will butt heads and fight for mates, sometimes even to death. Once a dominant bull chooses a female, he’ll defend her against all other males.
While a collision like this would knock a human out, these animals are made for head-clashing — they’ve got robust, thick skulls and short, curbed horns that can grow to two feet.
Watch the full video:
Learn more about the bison rutting season in the video below from the BBC:
