In Yellowstone National Park in the United States, a photographer recently witnessed a heart-wrenching sight of hundreds of bison mourning their deceased companion, as if holding a funeral. This rare scene seems to offer proof that animals also possess spirituality and emotions.
According to a report from “Latest Sightings” website, wildlife photographer Judy Lehmberg visited the Hayden Valley in Yellowstone Park on a day in October. There, she came across the somber sight of a bison carcass covered in frost lying peacefully by the Yellowstone River, capturing everyone’s attention.
Lehmberg anticipated that the bison carcass would attract a large number of wild animals for a meal, so she decided to stay and observe which animals would take advantage of this easy food source.
Initially, a few crows were seen pecking at the bison carcass, but as the weather warmed up and the frost melted, more animals arrived at the scene, including coyotes and bald eagles. However, what happened next took Lehmberg by surprise.
She noticed a large herd of bison appearing on the horizon, slowly making their way towards the carcass. As the bison herd drew closer, the atmosphere in the air shifted, as if a sense of mourning enveloped the entire scene. Even the crows and coyotes had to leave the carcass, making way for the approaching bison herd.
Eventually, the bison herd reached the riverbank and began taking turns to sniff at the carcass, seemingly acknowledging it as their companion. Subsequently, one by one, the bison took turns paying their respects to the deceased, much like humans would at a funeral.
Lehmberg mentioned that she had heard stories of bison holding funerals before, but had only witnessed a male bison mourning a female bison many years ago. Now, she had witnessed over a hundred bison mourning for their companion.
After a few hours, the bison herd decided to move on. The last bison left behind gazed sorrowfully at the carcass for a moment before joining the rest of the herd.
While it is difficult to determine if animals mourn like humans, many animals exhibit behaviors of grief when a companion or family member passes away, including elephants, dolphins, giraffes, some birds, primates, and other mammals, like bison.
Bison are highly social animals that care for vulnerable members, so interpreting this behavior as mourning or paying respects to the deceased is not far-fetched.
Elephants have long been viewed as spiritual animals, and stories of their mourning for deceased companions are well-documented. An earlier report by Epoch Times discussed a study on Asian elephants in India, revealing that when a young elephant dies, the herd will bury it, placing its body in a prone position with all fours up, and mourn loudly, resembling a human funeral.