Big herbivores!

[Pckts]

Yellowstone Visitor


This has been receiving a lot of attention on my page, so I figured I would share it here as well. Feel free to visit Healing Soul Photography to be a part of the hundreds of comments from all sides. Just click on the original image. It turned into a wonderful forum with many passionate folks weighing in. I became a vegetarian from one of the exchanges.

The Fallen
I drove down Old Yellowstone Trail yesterday afternoon. I saw large groups of pronghorn and big horn on the way. As I approached the bridge at Cinnabar I noticed two orange vests, they were hunters. To my left the Sheriff was attempting to get these three bulls to move so that the hunters could safely retrieve their kill.
This piece is about behavior, nothing else. As heartbreaking as it was to see this specimen taken, I couldn't help but to observe a beautiful yet sad behavior. Three bulls were protecting the fallen from the Sheriff's truck. Tails up, grunting, bucking, and spinning, desperate to protect their family. The Sheriff backed off and the bulls still stood guard over the body. The one on the left would nudge the hind quarter until the legs would move, then backed off to see if the legs would move on their own, but the fallen remained motionless. The bull on the right was nudging the fallen's head, licking its face, placing its nose gently against the lifeless bull. The middle bull seemed to just observe, mirroring the actions of the bull on the right. They went from panic at first to what seemed like acceptance in the end. Their movements went from unpredictable to slow and methodical, from nudging to softly touching their fallen friend. Now I am not a bison biologist, just a photographer. What I wrote here best describes my experience. I am convinced that these animals have souls, powerful souls. They are not any different than us. This was a sad moment, but getting to see this behavior was a privilege. I feel an even deeper connection with these majestic creatures.

*This image is copyright of its original author

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