Tag: Lamar River

Watch: Yellowstone coyotes ‘duke it out’ over prize buried in snow

Video footage reveals a dramatic scene involving two coyotes fighting over a bison carcass in Yellowstone National Park.

A guide leading a tour in Yellowstone National Park this week captured dramatic footage showing two coyotes battling over a presumed bison carcass buried in the snow.

The accompanying footage, captured by Yellowstone Wolf Tracker guide Michael Sypniewski, begins with one coyote launching an attack on the other coyote as it attempted to feast on the carcass.

Wolf Tracker’s description: “A couple mornings ago, Wolftracker guide @michaelwsyp and his guests watched two coyotes duke it out along the Lamar River. This intense back and forth battle went on for close to 10 minutes!”

The description continued: “Although obstructed from [the tour group’s] view, they believe the two canines were fighting over the remains of a bison carcass buried deep in the snow.”

The footage appears to show that the coyote already on the carcass was the dominant combatant.

As winter turns to spring, many of Yellowstone’s critters rely on frozen carcasses, revealed by melting snow, for sustenance.

Watch: Yellowstone bear cub crosses river on mom’s back

A guide in Yellowstone National Park has captured adorable footage showing a black bear cub hitching a ride across the Lamar River on mom’s back.

Black bears can easily navigate rivers, but cubs sometimes require mom’s help.

The accompanying footage, captured by Yellowstone Wolf Tracker guide Michelle Holihan, shows a cub crossing the Lamar River on mom’s back and leaping from her shoulders onto the opposite shore.

“What’s the best way to get across the cold Lamar River?” Yellowstone Wolf Tracker asked followers via Instagram. “Hitch a ride on mom!

“We spotted this black bear in the river but her two cubs were hesitant to cross so she went back to get them and one of them climbed onboard for the crossing.”

The Lamar River, a tributary of the Yellowstone River, spans 44 miles through wildlife-rich portions of Yellowstone National Park.

According to the National Park Service, the Lamar River and Lamar Valley are named after Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, Secretary of the Interior under President Grover Cleveland from 1885 to 1888.

–Image is a video screen shot

Momma bear rescues panicking, crying cub in swift river crossing

A momma grizzly bear teaching its cub how to cross rivers in Yellowstone National Park was forced to rescue the little one.

A momma grizzly bear teaching its cub how to cross rivers in Yellowstone National Park was forced to rescue the little one as it loudly cried out in a panic in the rushing water of the Soda Butte River.

“I don’t think I have ever recorded grizzly cub cries like that before,” Ron Sterbenz told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors.

Sterbenz of Yellowstone Video on YouTube regularly videotapes wildlife in the iconic park during the tourist season. He recently captured the various steps in the grizzly’s teaching process, including the rescue.

“This one is a grizzly sow who swims a number of the Lamar/Soda Butte river forks while scaring her cub to death,” Sterbenz told For The Win. “She is a kind of odd sow as you can see in the video.

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“In one part she is scolding the cub for not following her across the river and attacks the 1-year-old [sequence starts at the 2:40 mark]. Next, she is leading him into a faster fork and the cub cries out loud fearing downing [sequence starts at the 6:45 mark].

“I barely had time to catch it, but I did. The cub makes to the bank, so it’s a happy ending.

In the rescue, the momma bear gets alongside the cub and swims toward the bank, essentially pushing the cub along. They both climb out and, as Sterbenz states, it’s a happy ending.

Photo courtesy of Ron Sterbenz.