Touching each other with their trunks, mammoths of the herd renew their bonds with the pair. The most hazardous part of the winter is over. And the calf has survived.

In the ice age, spring comes late. It is May before thing is warmed enough for the snow to melt and comfort flowers to spring out. With increasing temperature, the woolly rhinos have molted as not woolly as they were. The mammoths too have already shed their long winter coats to live a lighter under wool only a few centimeter’s long.

The calf has come through the winter in good health. Now he has been weaned and spends more time away from his mother. He is also no longer the youngest. The herd ? a member arrive just few weeks ago. It’s a little female.

 The rhinos meanwhile are starting to get fierce again. These two males are fighting for territory. This confrontation is untaught with violent. They scrape their horns on the ground until one of them back stump and leave the area to the victor.

But while winter may be over here. The northern plains are still defrosting. So the herd will spend a couple of weeks in the valleys yet. It gives the new arrival a little bit more time to get some strength in her legs before the journey back north.

 There is downside in this warm of weather. Insects are coming to the problems again. But where there is mud, there is a way. A good shower of mud can help prevent the insects biting. Or maybe mammoths just do this for the fun of it.