Renowned author, speaker and former park ranger Bob Richard of Cody has countless tales to tell of Yellowstone National Park, but perhaps none are as heartwarming and strange as the story of Jimmy Coyote and Molly Elk.

The two critters were old and all but toothless during the winter of 1954-1955. By the rules of nature, they should have died. But the caretaker at Old Faithful took pity upon them and started feeding them pancakes.

‘It’s How They Survived’

Richard had only a brief encounter with Molly Elk and Jimmy Coyote, but he still remembers it clearly.

In February 1955, Richard was 17. His father had helped organize a photography trip into Yellowstone, sponsored by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the National Park Service. Richard went along, charged with getting photographs for the local newspaper.