05/28/2025
Spring is the time for new life, so keep your eyes peeled!
Elk, moose, bison, and deer give birth in the spring. Elk calves and deer fawns are difficult to spot because they are often hidden away for their own safety.
🦌 Elk and deer are born with virtually no scent- a defensive adaptation to hide from predators sniffing them out. This allows their mother to tuck them away in tall grasses or bushes while they go out to feed. The new birds will barely move a muscle for hours waiting for mom to come back to feed them!
🦬 Moose and bison are different- they are not hidden away, instead they stick right by their mother’s side with their baby fur that is a rusty red/orange color. It is thought that predators can’t see that color well, so it acts as a camouflage. After a couple of months, they begin to shed their lighter coats for their darker adult fur.
If you keep a sharp eye out, you might catch one of the cutest sights of the season!
📸: Naturalist guide Jordan Epstein