Bison Mom Showers Her 2-Day-Old Calf With Love As It Blinks In Pure Relaxation

Baby bison enter the world surrounded by love and ready to explore. They're usually born in mid to late spring, when fresh grass pushes up from the soil, and many trees begin to flower. Just hours after birth, bison are up and walking around this bright, green world, their mothers by their side. The calf will be able to run in a few days. A bison mother spends weeks teaching her young how to thrive in their native grasslands. She shows them how to find food, water, and friends, while lavishing them with constant attention.

A short Facebook reel shows just how tender that relationship can be. You can see a magnificent bison leaning down to nuzzle and clean her two-day-old, red-furred calf as it lies on a bed of grass. The calf looks utterly relaxed and only moves when Mom's licks nudge its small head to the side. Many commenters were charmed, with one writing, "So sweet!" 

In 2016, the American bison became the country's first national mammal. The U.S. Department of the Interior now refers to the 2,000-pound creature as "a symbol of our American identity and one of the greatest conservation success stories of all time." Bison, also called American buffalo, have lived in America and Yellowstone National Park since prehistoric times, but their numbers dwindled dramatically in the 19th century in response to the fur trade, and they nearly went extinct. Authorities, however, took action.

The effort to protect bison became national in 1905 with the formation of the American Bison Society (ABS), helmed by President Theodore Roosevelt and other prominent conservationists. 120 years later, scientists discovered something wonderful about the Yellowstone bison herd: it had swelled to over 5,000 members! You might see one yourself if you visit the park. Just remember to keep your distance, even if you want to snap a picture. Seemingly harmless pictures can badly stress the animal if you get too close.

Bison are hard to find, but their cow cousins aren't (all American bison have a bit of cattle DNA). Get your fill of hooved cuteness with these adorably happy farm animals.