Endangered Species Day Treat

I traveled to Yellowstone last week on Endangered Species Day (Sunday, May 18 on my calendar but originally designated by Congress for May 16.) What a great treat!


One would never know half of the bison herd have been killed over the winter, mostly at the hand of humans. There were lots of bison to see! I did tell a few of them to "Stay in the Park or you'll be slaughtered!" Quite a few babies have been born but not as many as I had hoped to see. A herd was lounging around in the yards of Mammoth. A big boy was rolling around a small terrace. Another big boy grazed it way to a pedestrian bridge and was eyeballing tourists as they crossed it-way to close for comfort for me!



This day took the prize for the most bears I've seen in one day. 5 grizzlies and 1 brown black bear (top photo). The black bear was a kid bear roaming alone. 2 of the grizlies were big males. One was sitting up in a snow patch like a dog. Then it fell back and rolled around. The other one, in a different location, was slowly walking and pawing at the ground (bottom photo). The other 3 grizzlies were a mom with 2 cubs pawing at the ground and playing in some downed trees on a small hill. There were reports of 3 more bears by the Lake but I did not get that far. Finally, the bears are out of hibernation!

The Oxbow wolf pack was out and people had scopes set up at the usual pullout watching them. Unfortunately, I could not stop to look due to a kid's bathroom emergency. I'll see them next time.


The 2 bighorn sheep I saw were very raggedy from struggling through the harsh winter. They were actually outside of Gardiner right on the roadside and not in the Park.

Usually I don't see many deer but this time there was quite a few. The usual antelope hered was hanging around near Gardiner and lots of elk were out and about, mostly dispersed among bison. Ravens and eagles were abundant. Prairie dogs have babies trailing near. They all have 2 babies. (Photo: The other baby went underground before I got the shot. They are fast when they think they're in danger.)


The funniest thing I saw was a Canadian goose bobbing up and down wildly as it rode the rapids of a swelled up river (which is now flooding downstream). I imagine this goose's legs were quite tired from paddling after it finally reached the bank on the other side, and a long way from it's intended destination. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!