Baby Bison Takes on Wolf and Wins | America’s National Parks

Yellowstone is the only place in the US
where bison have lived continuously
since prehistoric times their relentless
search for better grazing grounds means
crossing rivers like the Lamarr
crossings are no big deal for the
grown-ups but a daunting business for
our seven day old calf rushing snowmelt
makes the Lamar treacherous our little
guy is understandably dubious but when
mother makes her move he has no choice
but to follow and almost immediately
things start to go wrong the current is
just too much
his mother turns back trying to keep him
safely upstream but the water is too
Swift and he is too young she realizes
her mistake too late he’s at the mercy
of the river
what happens next will define the
Lincoln he is washed up onto a little
gravel island
he’s chilled and utterly spent and
mother is nowhere in sight as the cold
yellowstone night falls all seems lost
somehow our little one has survived the
night but he’s still stranded any hope
of rescue seems to be moving on with his
herd even his mother seems to have given
him the instinct to stay with a herd is
overwhelming
and that’s for a good reason
predators are never far away back
downriver against all odds the bison
calf is holding on but he seems out of
options and just when things couldn’t
get any worse they do a strapping young
wolf has spotted him this tiny island
offers no escape
but apparently our calf is no ordinary
calf
hopelessly outmatched with a courage of
innocence he’s not going down without a
fight and the inexperienced wolf flails
and then annoys
an impossible wonderful Norris here
comes the cavalry
with an adult bison charging to the
rescue our calf now turns
the calf seems to wonder could this
really be his mother
it sure is and the wolf can’t believe
his eyes
famished
the plucky little fighter loses no time
filling up on his mother’s rich milk and
this wolf has been thoroughly buffaloed