King (and queens) of the road.
Cars that were on this bridge in Yellowstone National Park had no choice but to come to a stop as nature took over the roadway typically reserved for vehicles. There’s all kinds of rules of the road as to who has the right of the way, but it was clear in this instance that the bison herd had the green light.
Everyone and everything else had no other choice but to come to a stop… and at least the view was nice as they waited for the bison to pass.
It’s estimated that somewhere around 5,000 bison call the national park home, and you can see a few of them in action in the video below. Fully grown bison can weigh over 2,000 pounds, which means that most of these that are running by the car weigh nearly half as much as the resting vehicle does. The massive beasts can also reach top speeds as fast as 30 miles per hour, meaning that bison can legitimately give a car a run for its money if it wanted to.
North America’s largest land animals are pretty intimidating on their own, and they really assert their size when they are parading down the road like they are in this clip. If you think about it, this bison herd effectively shut down this bridge as they utilized it, albeit temporarily. Their choice of route led to a good, old-fashioned Yellowstone traffic jam. And is there anyone out there that actually doesn’t mind being stuck in standstill traffic?
Typically, I can hold the road rage at bay. And I’d like to think that doing so would be made that much more easier if it was wildlife that was to blame. I know wholeheartedly that I’ve never stopped to admire the hundreds of cars in front of me. But I’d bet I’d be more welcoming (or at least more tolerable) of the traffic if I was watching a bison herd.
Much like I’ve been waxing poetically about, the wildlife photographer that got caught up in this bison herd didn’t mind getting caught up in the Yellowstone delay:
“Despite seeing them every day, it never gets old being ‘stuck’ in a bison jam in Yellowstone. They often use the road as it is the most efficient way to get across the park, which results in beautiful sightings like this.”
Man… I never get tired of seeing videos bison in action. Especially one with Yellowstone National Park in the background that appears to just now be sneaking out of the brutal winter.
I’ve already touched on some bison fun facts, like how they are the biggest animals currently roaming North America. They are truly impressive beasts, and deserve admiration. Sometimes they shine in the spotlight because tourists get too close to them. Other times, like in the clip above, they draw eyeballs just by trotting along and doing regular bison things.
Clearly they’re smart creatures too. If the bridge is there, you might as well use it.
