A long cab ride on the snow-filled road from Fort Providence to Yellowknife in Canada turned memorable for two people who were able to save a herd of Buffalo from being chased by wolves.
The video, which was uploaded to Facebook by Kerry Mercer on Dec. 15, shows what otherwise would have been a long, mundane 195-mile trip. As the taxi came near the herd, the driver slowed down long enough to scare away a small pack of wolves trying to take down the buffalo.
Canadian Wood bison, which are also called buffalo, are different from American bison. They are larger, have bigger heads and shoulders, and have mops of brown mane running down their shoulders and front legs. They roam freely in protected areas in Canada. Their main predators are grizzly bears, cougars and grey wolves.
Although wolves are more likely to prey on deer, moose, elk, caribou, mountain goats, sheep or muskox, they are also known to hunt down the large buffalo in packs. A wolf pack is a highly coordinated unit whose range could cover "anywhere from 45 to 1,553 square miles, depending on the abundance of prey" and can sprint up to speeds of 45 miles per hour. They would have no problem taking down a herd of the largest mammals in North America.
The video shows the wolves, which were chasing the buffalo, scatter and run away. One of the passengers exclaims, "Those buffalo got saved by us, eh?"
After the herd is saved from the wolves, a truck is seen in the oncoming lane, causing the herd to change direction back into the wilderness away from the highway.
The passenger thanks her driver for slowing down long enough to witness the once-in-a-lifetime event and brush with nature as the cab drives past the herd.
