I’m not one to normally say to anyone that they should skip a visit to Yellowstone National Park, but I would advise someone looking to head there on vacation right now to reschedule their plans. Yellowstone is still beautiful, a guaranteed adventure, and full of geysers and hot pots. The animals are all still there if you’re lucky enough to be around when they are, but that’s actually the problem with Yellowstone in the spring. Some of the animals are really gross-looking right now.

Why Do The Bison Look Like They Have Fur Disease In The Spring

I’m specifically talking about the bison of Yellowstone National Park. If you go there, you are pretty much guaranteed to see them, they are one of the few animals you will definitely see. During the spring though, they start to shed their thick winter coats. Since this is nature and not some Disney movie, the fur doesn’t all fall out at the same time. This leaves the bison looking like zombie versions of themselves with large sections missing.

If you don’t mind bison that look like they have the mange, then go ahead and visit Yellowstone in the spring, otherwise wait a few months for the prettier versions.

Why Do Yellowstone Bison Lose Their Fur In The Spring

According to the National Park Service, when winter rolls around, the bison grow a thick and wooly coat to protect them from the cold, and that cold is extreme in Yellowstone. The skin of the bison also thickens in response to the cold, making these beasts nearly untouchable from the cold winds and snowy days.

When the temperatures warm up, the bison start losing the heavy coat, because nature is amazing and they don’t need the protection anymore.

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A Shedding Bison Can Be Pretty Funny To See

If you aren’t deterred by the unkempt bison and still make a trip to Yellowstone in the spring, you may be lucky to see them being silly. Losing all that winter hair can be an itchy experience for the bison, so you may see them rubbing up on rocks, fences, trees, or anything else that can give them a good scratch.

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