Is there anything more heartwarming than watching a baby mammal wabble to it’s feet and follow its mother?
It’s time to head over to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park where a baby American bison made a memorable entrance over Memorial Day weekend. Born May 24, the calf is thriving in the park’s 435-acre Free-Roaming Area and has already become a guest favorite.
Doing just fine
According to a release from the the park: “Keepers had been closely observing the calf’s mother, 4-year-old Sunny, who was expected to give birth around this time following a typical 285-day gestation. In keeping with natural behavior, she separated herself from the herd to give birth and spent a few quiet days bonding with her newborn before rejoining the group. The calf’s sex is yet to be confirmed, and the keepers plan to name it soon.”
Sunny is attentive and nurturing,” said Northwest Trek curator Becca McCloskey. “We’ve seen the calf nursing regularly, and it’s staying close by her side as it grows stronger.”
Ready for visitors
Park guests can now see the baby bison with the rest of the herd on Discovery Tram Tours, Wild Drives, or Keeper Adventure Tours at Northwest Trek. With its rusty-orange coat and already hefty size — newborn bison typically weigh 40 to 50 pounds — the calf stands out among the older, darker bison as it explores the grasslands on increasingly steady legs.
On a baby animal kick? Meet Sienna, the orphaned cougar cub new to Northwest Trek.
