Striking footage has emerged which shows hundreds of wild buffalo strolling along a highway.
The footage was captured from a car travelling down a wide open road in Liard Hot Springs, British Columbia, Canada.
Many of the buffalo are full grown; with dark shaggy coats, formidably broad, bearded heads and huge horns. Some are younger; far smaller and slightly lighter in colour as they follow the lead of the adults.
Against the dramatic, mountainous backdrop of British Columbia, the majestic animals step peacefully onwards; one big, beautiful family.
Those capturing the footage appear delighted by the sight, with one woman in the vehicle remarking, ‘I can see some babies!’
The humans are keeping their voices down and are driving at a slow pace, taking care not to disturb or startle the buffalo.
At one point, one particularly large buffalo – which appears to be a bull – walks into the road, leading the female passenger to whisper to the driver to stop.
Wild buffalo are known to roam the gorgeous area of Liard Hot Springs, with one local hotel – Northern Rockies Lodge – warning visitors to be particularly cautious when driving on the Alaska Highway on account of wandering buffalo herds.
Others lucky enough to have spotted a herd of wild buffalo in their natural habitat have shared amazing footage and photographs of the giants, known to be the largest extant land mammal in the Americas.
One budding David Attenborough wrote:
Just a little buffalo traffic jam. Weird feeling knowing the animal a foot away from you could totally kill you if it wanted to ..but also soooo cool.
Another remarked:
Bison sunsets might be my favourite sunsets.
The Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks in British Columbia have given the following information about life in a wild buffalo herd:
Throughout much of the year, Bison form herds composed primarily of adult females, subadults of both sexes, and the year’s new calves, but the size and composition of the groups change often. Mature bulls usually associate in smaller bachelor groups.
Lone bulls are also relatively common. Groups of cows and bulls mix during the rutting (breeding) period, which in northern areas may extend from July to September.
At this time the dark, woolly display hair of the head and beard of adult bulls reaches its greatest development, and the bulls fight more often.
Most of these interactions between bulls involve stylized threat displays and submission signals, but occasionally the fights end in injury or death.
These events determine the bull’s status, and the ones with the highest status do most of the breeding.
Bulls also do more wallowing and tree-horning during the rut. The distinctive roar or bellow of rutting
Bison may carry nearly 5 km. Bison are promiscuous, but they breed in one-to-one relationships called a tending bond.
An absolutely stunning video, I’m sure you will agree. What a privilege it is to share our planet with such a wide variety of magnificent animals.
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via stories@unilad.co.uk
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.