Yellowstone vacations are a great way to observe wildlife up close. If you choose to drive through the park you might miss some of the smaller animals that call Yellowstone National Park home. But a drive through the park just might be the best way to see some of the larger mammals almost any time of the day or year.
One of the highlights of Yellowstone vacations is seeing the large herds of bison. Bison are often seen grazing in the meadows along the roadway. The bison is the largest land mammal in all of North America. They have occupied Yellowstone National Park continuously since prehistoric times. Males can weigh up to 2000 pounds, while the females range up to 1000 pounds. They are fast creatures for their size and can run as fast as 30 miles an hour. They can also change direction very quickly, so never approach these animals on foot. They are best observed from the safety of your vehicle.
Yellowstone vacations are also great for viewing elk. More than 30,000 elk make up the seven or eight herds that summer in the park. Elk are the second largest of the deer family, and males can weigh up to 700 pounds and females about 500 pounds. Adult males, also called bulls, grow antlers each year, which may have from six to eight points on each side and can weigh more than 30 pounds. Bulls use these antlers during the mating season, called the rut, to fight for the right to mate with the females in the autumn. Bulls can be heard for miles "bugling" to attract females. This love call is more of a high-pitched whistle than a bugle, but the ladies seem to like it.
One of the most popular animals seen on Yellowstone vacations is the moose. Moose are the largest of the deer family. Males, also called bulls, weigh up to 1300 pounds and females, also called cows, may weigh up to 800 pounds. Bulls have impressive palmate antlers which are shed annually. Moose have always been rare in Yellowstone. In the late 1980s only about 1000 moose were estimated to live in the park. Moose feed on willow during spring and summer, and move to mature stands of subalpine fir and Douglas fir during the winter months. Moose also like to browse in stands of gooseberry and buffalo berry bushes.
Yellowstone vacations can introduce you to one of the most elusive, and perhaps most controversial, of all creatures that live in the park. The wolf is the largest member of the canine family and is the ancestor of the domestic dog. The gray wolf is about the same size as a German shepherd and weighs anywhere from 55 to 130 pounds. The color of a gray wolf can range from gray to all black or all white. Wolves prey on elk, deer, moose, beaver, rabbits, and other small prey. They are also known scavengers and eat other animals that have died from other causes. The gray wolf is known to have occupied Yellowstone National Park nearly 1000 years ago, but was hunted to extinction by 1930. Many were killed by ranchers for attacking livestock. In 1995 the gray wolf was reintroduced into the park. Fourteen wolves were brought from Canada and traced by radio collar. By 2003, their number had increased to nearly 300. The park population count for 2008 showed 124 wolves, although this number may be much higher. Wolves are secretive, so you might not see one, but if you visit the park in the early morning or evening you might hear them howling and yipping.
Many people enjoy Yellowstone vacations because of the opportunities to observe wildlife up close. The park is home to many large North American mammals, such as bison, elk, moose, and gray wolves. These magnificent animals can often be seen from the roadway, making a drive through the park a thrilling experience for the whole family. Joe Dockter http://yelowstonevacations.blogspot.com http://rockymountainvacation.blogspot.com
One of the highlights of Yellowstone vacations is seeing the large herds of bison. Bison are often seen grazing in the meadows along the roadway. The bison is the largest land mammal in all of North America. They have occupied Yellowstone National Park continuously since prehistoric times. Males can weigh up to 2000 pounds, while the females range up to 1000 pounds. They are fast creatures for their size and can run as fast as 30 miles an hour. They can also change direction very quickly, so never approach these animals on foot. They are best observed from the safety of your vehicle.
Yellowstone vacations are also great for viewing elk. More than 30,000 elk make up the seven or eight herds that summer in the park. Elk are the second largest of the deer family, and males can weigh up to 700 pounds and females about 500 pounds. Adult males, also called bulls, grow antlers each year, which may have from six to eight points on each side and can weigh more than 30 pounds. Bulls use these antlers during the mating season, called the rut, to fight for the right to mate with the females in the autumn. Bulls can be heard for miles "bugling" to attract females. This love call is more of a high-pitched whistle than a bugle, but the ladies seem to like it.
One of the most popular animals seen on Yellowstone vacations is the moose. Moose are the largest of the deer family. Males, also called bulls, weigh up to 1300 pounds and females, also called cows, may weigh up to 800 pounds. Bulls have impressive palmate antlers which are shed annually. Moose have always been rare in Yellowstone. In the late 1980s only about 1000 moose were estimated to live in the park. Moose feed on willow during spring and summer, and move to mature stands of subalpine fir and Douglas fir during the winter months. Moose also like to browse in stands of gooseberry and buffalo berry bushes.
Yellowstone vacations can introduce you to one of the most elusive, and perhaps most controversial, of all creatures that live in the park. The wolf is the largest member of the canine family and is the ancestor of the domestic dog. The gray wolf is about the same size as a German shepherd and weighs anywhere from 55 to 130 pounds. The color of a gray wolf can range from gray to all black or all white. Wolves prey on elk, deer, moose, beaver, rabbits, and other small prey. They are also known scavengers and eat other animals that have died from other causes. The gray wolf is known to have occupied Yellowstone National Park nearly 1000 years ago, but was hunted to extinction by 1930. Many were killed by ranchers for attacking livestock. In 1995 the gray wolf was reintroduced into the park. Fourteen wolves were brought from Canada and traced by radio collar. By 2003, their number had increased to nearly 300. The park population count for 2008 showed 124 wolves, although this number may be much higher. Wolves are secretive, so you might not see one, but if you visit the park in the early morning or evening you might hear them howling and yipping.
Many people enjoy Yellowstone vacations because of the opportunities to observe wildlife up close. The park is home to many large North American mammals, such as bison, elk, moose, and gray wolves. These magnificent animals can often be seen from the roadway, making a drive through the park a thrilling experience for the whole family. Joe Dockter http://yelowstonevacations.blogspot.com http://rockymountainvacation.blogspot.com
About the Author:
Joe has a BS in Business Management/Marketing. Joe has twenty years of federal service with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Joe has traveled extensively and is the father of two Eagle Scouts. http://rockymountainvacation.blogspot.com http://yellowstonevacations.blogspot.com http://mountrushmorememorial.blogspot.com
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