1. The newborn calf shakily emerges from the protective triangle formed by the mother and two female helpers. In addition to the threats of predation by coyotes, these bison are in the territorial range of one of Yellowstone's wolf packs. The protection clearly gives a survival advantage to the vulnerable newborn.
2. The mother (right) and another female cooperatively clean the new calf.
3. The mother (trailing afterbirth) tends to the wobbly newborn as the other females keep watch. As it is cleaned up and dries off, the newborn will become a "red dog" like the other calves.
