Winter in Yellowstone National Park is a harsh environment, a place where wildlife has to fight to survive. But as the weather warms up, naturalist Casey Anderson explores the backcountry to observe signs of the blooming spring.
The melted snow causes muddy run-offs through the park. Migratory birds are returning for summer, bears emerge from their dens and baby season is in full swing.
Flocks of cranes pair off to mate, harlequin ducks build nests beside the mountain streams and great horned owls care for their young.
Female grizzly bears give birth to cubs, and she will raise them for as long as three years, teaching them how to wrestle, run, climb, dig and hunt. And while grizzlies enjoy companionship at a young age, they grow out of this need and become solitary animals once mature.
Video preview: It’s springtime in Yellowstone — and that means tiny adorable wild animals.