2007 Q & A
June 13, 2007
How cold is it at Yellowstone? students from Mount Airy Middle School, Surry Co.
At 5 a.m. on Wednesday it was 31°F. Our days start in the cold of early morning but by early afternoon we are able to shed our coats and enjoy the sunshine with 55 to 65°F temperatures. (To see current temperatures at Yellowstone, go the the Daily Journal home page.)
What do bison sound like? Venkatesa, Poe Montessori Elementary School, Wake Co.
We were surprised to hear that bison do not sound like cattle. Bison snort, grunt and gurgle in a deep bass voice. This combination of sounds is unlike any animal we’ve heard before. The sounds travel across rivers and valleys. (To hear a sample of bison sounds, go to http://www.nps.gov/archive/wica/Bison.htm.)
What is the size of an elk compared to the size of a human? Lai, Leesville Road High School, Wake Co.
A bull (male) elk, fully grown with antlers, can be an incredible 9 feet tall, from the tip of its antlers to the ground. We came upon a bull along a trail by surprise and looked directly at his chest at our eye level. His head (about the size of a cow’s head) was obviously higher, and his antlers, in velvet, were at least 3 feet above his head. We carefully avoided the elk as we made our way back to the cars.
Bull Elk in velvet
(picture taken by Mike Dunn during the 2006 Yellowstone Ecology Institute)
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