There’s a first time for everything.
A wildlife photographer and tour guide recently witnessed an incredible moment at Yellowstone National Park, and was able to get it all on video for everyone else to enjoy as well.
The footage shows a bull elk grazing on a grass-covered hillside, stopping to take in the scenery when it noticed it wasn’t alone. While the antlered animal was chowing on some greenery, a wolf was sneaking up behind it.
That usually doesn’t spell good news for elk, but luckily for this one, the wolf that was approaching was a pup. From the looks of it, the elk’s head is bigger than the entire baby wolf.
The photographer captioned the video with a great summary of the interaction:
“A wolf pup bravely steps out from the den, only to come face to face with a bull elk. At just a month old, this was likely the first time the young wolf had ever seen an animal of this size. The two shared a quick glance that seemed to make time stand still.
This moment, although short lived, made us onlookers ponder questions regarding what the future might hold for the young wolf. Would this encounter potentially shape the wolf into a fearless hunter?”
That’s a good question right there. There’s no doubt the little wolf pup was brave for going out and facing the bull elk, and doing so at such a young age should get it acclimated to being around bigger animals… so that when it’s older, it can tear them apart.
But for now, the wolf is basically harmless, and you’ll almost miss that it’s in the video entirely. Keep an eye out in the lower left corner of the frame. That’s where the baby wolf comes out of its den to stand tall (metaphorically) against the bull elk.
Take a look:
