Bison kicks up its heels in comical ‘happy dance’ video
On a winter day that saw temperatures dip below zero, Sue McCann came across a bison showing off its best dance moves at Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming, and captured them on video.
The bison rolled in the dirt, twirled a couple 360s, kicked up dirt, and did a hop and a skip before prancing away, bringing an end to a comical display that is quite normal for bison.
What it was doing was wallowing in the dirt.
The National Park Service describes it this way: “Walling is when they roll on the dry ground in a ‘dust bath.’ A common explanation for the wallowing behavior relates to relieving skin irritations, whether that is from shedding a winter coat or seeking relief from biting insects. Bison will lie down and roll repeatedly onto their sides to stop insects from biting them. Rolling on the ground also creates a layer of dirt on the body that forms a defensive barrier from ticks and lice…Wallowing behaviors change depending on the season, time of day, and temperature.”
Since some commenters on the ViralHog post described the bison as being “happy,” we’ll go a step further and call what it is doing a happy dance. Definitely entertaining by any description.
Photo courtesy of ViralHog.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Bison performs a comical ‘happy dance’ in video footage
