#curse tumblr formatting and its lack of sub-bulletpoints...

[softmarsh]

YELLOWSTONE COLONIES SEASONS

let’s start off with something nice and simple: seasons!

yellowstone national park is a sprawling landscape located in the temperate coniferous forest biome, which is marked by warm summers and cool winters. being temperate, the land does cycle through four seasons—but, they’re not clearly defined by deciduous forest standards of 3-month-long springs, summers, autumns, and winters. additionally, because the dominant tree type is evergreens, observing the changes of the leaves is not a reliable indicator of the season.

because of this, the yellowstone cats have developed their own names, lengths, and identifiers for their seasons, where they look to animal behaviors to determine the current one!

THE BLOOM

the bloom is the equivalent of early spring, with march being the only month of this season. it is named after how the land wakens from its winter slumber, ‘blooming’ into a flourishing land of plenty once more. the most common indicators of the arrival of the bloom are:

the appearance of mountain bluebirds, western meadowlarks, ospreys, and american robins

the emergence of grizzly bears from hibernation

and humans snowplowing the park's interior roads

THE THAW

the second season is called the thaw, which equates to late spring and the entirety of summer. its duration is april to august, and it is called the thaw as it is the season when animal activity really kicks up. winter fully sheds its grip on the environment, and the cats do not yet have to prepare for the next freeze. it is marked by:

APRIL

the appearance of ruby-crowned kinglets and wilson's snipes

the emergence of black bears, marmots, ground squirrels, and chorus frogs from hibernation

bison calving

bison and elk returning to higher elevations, with elk dropping and regrowing their antlers

growth of buttercups, shooting stars, and pasqueflowers

and an increase in human visitors and cars on the road

MAY & JUNE

elk, moose, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep calving

wolf pups emerging from their dens

cutthroat trout starting to spawn

ruffed grouse starting to drum

growth of glacier lilies and bitterroot

water levels rising due to snowmelt

and humans fishing in the rivers

JULY & AUGUST

bison rut

water levels dropping

wildfires are more prone to occur

and a greater increase in human visitors and cars on the road

THE FEAST

the feast is the most important season, being their autumn before winter. taking place from september to october, the third season is named for how animals prepare for hibernation by becoming hyperphagic and stocking up on food! the traditional indicators of the start of this season are:

elk rut

animals preparing for hibernation

deciduous trees entering fall colors

snow accumulating at higher elevations

and a decrease in human visitors and cars on the road

THE FREEZE

the final season is called the freeze, which is appropriately named for being the colonies’ winter! grueling and arduous, the freeze tends to be the most challenging season to survive through, especially if one inadequately prepared during the feast. it spans november to february, and is signified by:

bighorn sheep rut

bison and elk migrating to lower elevations

mule and whitetail deer shedding and regrowing their antlers

coyotes and foxes snow diving

snow accumulating at lower elevations

and a greater decrease in human visitors and cars on the road