Life & Death...And So It Goes

*Critters we’ve seen on our 2013 trip so far:  bison, pronghorn, elk, white-tail deer, Uinta ground squirrel, coyote, snowshoe hare, grizzly bear, moose, wolf, red fox, black bear, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, mule deer
*Birds we’ve seen on our 2013 trip so far: osprey, pheasant, magpie, raven, Canada geese, mountain bluebird, grouse, golden eagle, bald eagle, American avocet, sandhill crane, red-tailed hawk, cliff swallow

[Click on any photo to enlarge.]
 

Most of our wildlife sightings are positive and exciting, but on occasion something happens to remind us of the circle of life.  On one such day we headed out to Lamar Valley very early in the morning and were fortunate to see a bull moose, some sheep, mountain goats, the osprey sitting on her nest, coyote pups, and of course bison with their calves.  We always take our park radio with us, and as we were making our way back, we heard a dispatch that a black bear had been spotted near the Roosevelt Lodge.  We

weren’t far away, and as we entered under the Roosevelt Lodge sign, immediately to our right we spotted a mule deer doe with her two young fawns.  I was able to get several shots as they seemed to almost pose on the side of the hill, mama ever vigilant.  We continued down the road towards the lodge looking for the bear but couldn’t see it so decided to leave.

 

As we turned the corner, we noticed quite a number of cars parked along the road and in the gas station lot as well as a couple of ranger vehicles.  We pulled over and spotted not only the bear but the doe on the other side of the hill in what appeared to be a stare down.  After I took a couple pics, we went back to the Lodge road and parked not far from the entrance where we had an incredible view of what was to transpire.  Russ opened the sun roof so I could stand on the seat and take photos without getting out of the car, which would have been a huge no-no with our proximity to the wildlife.

For the next half hour or so, we watched as the doe desperately tried to avert the bear’s attention and lure it away from where she had hidden her fawns.  We couldn’t see the babies anywhere but knew they were tucked safely within the sage, or as safe as one could be with a bear nearby whose sense of smell is so great it can detect odors
from two miles away.  She ran in large circles around the bear, she ran up the hill, she ran close by, she leaped and bounded, frantically hoping the bear would follow her and not harm her young.  We watched her panicked state and her tireless efforts, wearing herself to near exhaustion but she would
   not give up.  We also watched as the bear seemed to narrow its search, occasionally sniff the air, and practically ignore the doe’s tactics.  Suddenly the bear was lost in the sage and we heard the squeal of the captured fawn.  Fortunately we did not see what occurred, but we heard its little
scream and that was almost as bad.  At least it seemed to be over with quickly.  We have no idea if the bear got only one fawn or both, but since the doe continued to run in circles, exhausted and panting, we hoped that one was still alive and she was hoping to save it from the same fate.  It was time for us
   to move on as the rangers were now moving people along.

 

We have seen wildlife carcasses several times over the past few years, but it’s not the same as “witnessing” the death of a young critter who only moments ago was alive and looking so sweet and fragile.  I understand the circle of life and how all these creatures need to eat and feed their young, but that knowledge didn’t make it any easier for me as tears streamed down my face.

 

Yellowstone Tidbits:

• Mule deer can be distinguished from white-tailed deer by large ears, small tail, and a bounding gait in which all four feet leave the ground and come down together.
• Mule deer produce one or two fawns born late May to early August.
• Roosevelt Lodge was established in 1906, completed in 1920, and is named for Yellowstone enthusiast President Theodore Roosevelt who regularly visited the park but never stayed at the Lodge.