Wild Memories Photography Tours

Meanwhile, there are so many other animals that just break my heart.

Yesterday we discovered that Twin had returned to 926, at the 11th hour.  He returned with another male, yet to be identified, and they provided mama with a meal right before she went into the den to have her pups.  It was one of those beautiful, absolute miracles that had all of us smiling.  And, me picturing her snuggling with her new bundles of joy and a warm, full belly.

And, right after we discovered Twin was back and the two crossed the road to return to the den, after feeding, we saw the Junctions travel down the valley.  They spent the day there and had us all worried for 926 because if she returned to the carcass she would have a hard time getting away from any attack.  But, there was luck because she had babies to deliver.

Today, was all quiet at the den area, with no signals on 926, and so we thought a quiet day in order.  Bill was up to 11 or 12 grizzlies and one black bear the last time I spoke to him.  They were looking at 6 grizzlies and a black bear, all at the same time.    Thank goodness for Bill out there with his scope showing people those bears!

I was headed in when Bill got on the radio and told everyone that he had a black wolf.  Was talking to Rick at the time and both of us jumped in our cars and went back to Lamar.  We had some excitement, thinking it was the Lamar yearlings with a new grey friend.  Rick did not have any signals on any wolves and we could not see a collar and so the only thing that fit was the yearlings.  But, it turned out that the Mollies had returned and the alpha male’s  (980) collar was not working.  The alpha female was not with them as she is in the den.  I am thinking that they are just hungry and looking for food.

We watched them for most of the afternoon and when I left this evening they had gotten up, moved slightly west and up into the forest near the Alluvial fan.  So, I went on down the road until I found the orphaned bison calf.

Must say that my heart went out to this little one.  He was first seen three days ago, all alone.  Amazing to me that he has survived this long.  But, today when I found him, he was hanging close to a bull that was not really all that happy to have a kid following him.  But, as long as the calf kept his distance he allowed him to tag along.  I sat and watched as the bull crossed the road and then as the calf struggled to get across some water and then follow the bull.  Actually, I stayed stopped in the road with flashers going so no one would hit the little guy.  With the Mollies in the valley I doubt he will last the night.

Just so sad to see these things.  The calf was trying to suckle, obviously thirsty for mom’s milk.  I so wanted to grab him up and take him home with me.  It is tough to watch nature some days.

And, another one that got to me, yesterday, was this beautiful big horn ram.

I was driving into the park, a little late for me, when I spotted this ram looking like a statue.  There was no light but I decided to take his photo anyway.  That was when I discovered that this beauty is suffering from pneumonia.  He was choking and gagging – not long for this world.  But, worse yet, pneumonia is in the park and the new lambs will be infected, as well as much of the rest of the herd.  We will lose these guys and gals, all because one selfish resident decided to bring sheep into the region.  We have to watch them die.

I am just sick with the suffering.

Luckily, we have new life and beauty that softens the daily blows.  I am fortunate to see it all.

Here is Judy’s update today.  A lot going on in the south.

We just walked in the door after 14 hours of seeing almost nothing. We went to look for the Beryl Springs sow and cub.  We waited and waited and saw nothing.  Around 2:30 people started showing up and said the sow and cub had been chased by a boar in the late evening yesterday.  We were thinking about moving somewhere else when suddenly the Canyon alpha female wolf appeared out of nowhere.  She walked downstream on the east side of the river and then disappeared into some trees.  We waited and waited again and she never reappeared.  But it was so neat just to see her!  I will post photos of her tomorrow.  Then we heard that the boar had chased the sow and cub across the river and the road and no one knew where she was.  Then we heard there was a grizzly sow and 1 year old cub out at Canyon.  The race was on.  We got there just in time to be told they had just disappeared into the trees.  We saw someone’s photos of them but never saw her.  By that time we were loosing light and headed home.