An incredible scene played out in Yellowstone National Park, where a pack of wolves were hunting down a bison! While the bison is running at incredible speed through the rocky terrain, one can’t help but be mesmerized by the dramatic footage.
The Scene
A pack of wolves hunting down a bison, and getting alarmingly close to catching the massive mammal. Running through the canyon, the footage gets a bit shaky, but what does one expect with all that adrenaline?
Sweet Escape
Luckily, for the bison, it escaped from the hungry jaws of the wolves after crossing a river. The bison could run to safety while the wolves were left hungry, and had to set out on another energy-draining hunting mission! Hopefully, it was more successful.
Wolves Hunting Bison
A pack of hungry wolves can take down almost anything, even the largest mammal in North America! However, wolves only succeed about 15% of the time and need between 9 and 13 pack members to take down a bison.
Wolves Hunting Bison
This incredible video had me thinking: how can wolves hunt these massive mammals? Especially considering their size and speed difference. So, let’s have a look at some of these stats and compare these two animals!
Bison Size
Bison bulls typically weigh between 800 and 2,200 pounds! They measure between 5 and 6.5 feet at the shoulder and 7 to 12 feet in length. Bison cows, although slightly smaller, are still massive. They weigh between 800 and 1,200 pounds, measuring around 5 feet at the shoulder and 10 feet in length.
Wolf Size
Much smaller compared to the bison, male wolves weigh around 140 pounds and measure 3.2 feet at the shoulder and 6 feet nose to tail! Again, the females are slightly smaller. They weigh around 100 pounds and measure 3 feet at the shoulder and 5.5 feet from nose to tail.
Bison Speed
Despite their large size, bison are surprisingly fast and agile! They can run up to 40 miles per hour and take quick turns and jumps.
Wolf Speed
These wolves are built for endurance and chasing their prey over far distances. In short bursts, wolves can chase their prey at 37 miles per hour. However, their endurance is what sets them apart. They can maintain a steady speed of 6 miles per hour for hours on end, exhausting their prey.
Bison Diet
It always boggles my mind that these massive animals are herbivores. Living on a diet of primarily grasses and sedges. And in the winter months, when food is scarce, they will also eat a variety of herbs, shrubs, and twigs. Luckily, their digestive system can get nutrients from these tougher plant materials.
Wolf Diet
These predators are carnivores and primarily hunt large to medium mammals in their environment. Their pack hunting technique makes it possible for them to bring down large prey, like bison. If they need to, they will also hunt smaller animals like voles and beavers to supplement their diet. In some regions, wolves will even hunt fish!
Bison Social Habits
For the most part, bison live in herds divided by gender and age. Female herds exist of a bunch of female bison and their young, while bachelor herds consist of non-dominant males. Dominant males have priority access to breeding partners and food resources and will assert dominance over any other bull who challenges them.
Wolf Social Habits
Wolves live in packs of 2 to 15 members, with an alpha pair (male and female) leading the pack. Not only do these predators hunt together, but they also share responsibility for each other’s young and will often be seen playing with each other. This play teaches the young how to fight and strengthens their bonds.
Bison Defense Mechanism
These large land mammals use their size, strength, and speed to their advantage and as primary defense mechanisms. When facing a threat, bison will charge at their predator with their muscular build and strong horns. If outnumbered, they use their fast running speed to run from their predators, as we see in the video.
Wolf Hunting
As we mentioned earlier, wolves are pack hunters. They use coordinated strategies and teamwork to target and take down their prey. Their endurance allows them to chase and exhaust their prey before they surround it and strike. Wolves have keen tracking and stalking abilities, often focusing on vulnerable prey!
Bison Conservation
Bison conservation efforts restored the number of these magnificent mammals in North America. Through a focus on their protection, population restoration through habitat preservation, breeding programs, and legal protection greatly aided in their conservation. However, the IUCN Red List still lists these animals as Near Threatened.
Wolf Conservation
The Gray Wolf is protected through conservation efforts to ensure that their population remains stable. Efforts include monitoring populations, preventing human-wolf conflicts, and ensuring genetic diversity. Conservationists work to maintain stable populations and healthy ecosystems, highlighting the wolves’ crucial role in biodiversity and ecological balance
Survival Of The Fittest
The bison might seem lucky to have escaped, but on this day its speed was enough to save him from a pack of hungry wolves. The wolves, who might seem unlucky, just pulled the short straw of Mother Nature’s survival on this day. Another day, against a weaker bison, they might have succeeded!
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