Badlands National Park – American Bison Part 2
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Have you ever heard of bison wallowing? Or maybe you’ve seen bison rolling from side to side in the dirt? Yep, that ‘dust bath’ is called wallowing.
There are actually several explanations on why bison do wallowing. Not only does it give relief to biting insects, it helps bison shed their heavy winter fur.
Wallowing is also sometimes seen as a social behavior associated with play, group cohesion, and male-male conflict.
During mating season, sexually mature males will urinate in the wallow before rolling on the ground to advertise their scent and strength.
Here’s a series of close-up shots of a bison wallowing, shot from my car window.
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“Are you ready?”
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American bison wallowing
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American bison wallowing
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American bison wallowing
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American bison wallowing
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American bison wallowing
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“A little dirt doesn’t hurt!”
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More wildlife to come from Badlands NP…..prairie dogs next!
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