Community Chat

[GingerPeach]

It may be that the baby bison wasn't imprinted on people.

Last night on PBS was an episode of My Wild Affair.

A conservationist in Kenya helped rescue a very young orphan elephant back in the 70s.  One of the things she learned was that young elephants (and so, perhaps bison and related mammals) instinctively seek out larger objects (not live objects, necessarily, but trucks or tractors, etc.) near which they feel safe, as if it is their mother.   (There's much more to the story if anyone is interested.)

So, once the herd rejected the baby bison, he may have been trying to be near the cars since they were so much larger than himself.

If so, it kind of makes the story all the sadder. 

The whole brucellosis thing could be handled as well if parks were better funded.  Clearly, our parks are very much underfunded and can only take action to the limit their funds permit.  

@Bird mama

@Kachina624

@Marp

@nunya

@goldensrbest

[Kachina624]

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@Bird mama wrote:

@Marp

Without starting a rumpus, exactly how long was the baby bison in the car? 

I didn't realize how quickly a bison could imprint on people. 

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@Bird mama  Bernie, it couldn't have been in the car very long.  I've seen the picture of it in the back of a SUV and there's no poop on the floor or any stain.  I wouldn't think it would imprint that fast either but I guess it did.  It was very young.

[Kachina624]

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@GingerPeach wrote:

The whole brucellosis thing could be handled as well if parks were better funded.  Clearly, our parks are very much underfunded and can only take action to the limit their funds permit.  

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I was at Yellowstone two years ago and can say, you're exactly right.  I'd been there before and can say it's really gone downhill and was in horrid condition.  It's way overused and everything is shabby and run down.  I would not bother going there again.  Too many people and not enough $$$.

[SXMGirl]

I think that most people know not to handle animals in the wild because of rejection.  However, we also have many compassionate people, and there apparently were several people who had video of this calf being in distress.  I can only think that the park rangers knew that and it is survival of the fittest.  No matter the reason, it is a very sad situation.