Dust Buffies

Well, you've heard of dust bunnies, right? It's a fairly common sight at Custer Park, when encountering any bison...the dust bath, or wallow. Why do they do this? Wikipedia says this: "Past explanations and current hypotheses suggested for wallowing behavior include grooming behavior associated with shedding, male-male interaction (typically rutting behavior), social behavior for group cohesion, play behavior, relief from skin irritation due to biting insects, reduction of ectoparasite (tick and lice) load, and thermoregulation."

This bison decided to wallow right after I stopped to take photos on Wed. in Custer Park.

I took this photo in Custer Park on May 2nd, the day friend Jayne and I witnessed a large herd of buffalo (bison) running in a long line, calves included...no idea why they were running but it was awesome to see. This buff stopped for a dust bath when the run became a walk.

To clarify..the proper name of this animal is bison. They were labeled "buffalo" when the early settlers first saw them, as they resembled water buffalo. As you can see, I use both terms. I'm torn between the proper name and the more common name.