In exciting news for all animal lovers, this summer saw the birth of a rare white bison (American buffalo) calf in Yellowstone National Park at Lamar Valley, Wyoming. This is of particular significance to Native Americans, especially the tribes of the Great Plains, as the white buffalo is sacred to them and associated with both legend and prophesy.
Believed to have been born on June 4th, 2024, the extremely rare white (but not albino) calf created an enormous buzz when it was seen and photographed alongside its mother by park visitors, researchers, commercial park guides, and professional wildlife photographers. (See a photo of this little one here.)
White bison are extremely rare in the wild. Most white bison births occur in captivity and result from crossbreeding bison with white Charolais cattle, which is distinctly frowned upon by the National Bison Association.
This is the first known birth of one of these unique animals in Yellowstone National Park. (A similar calf was born last year at Bear River State Park, Wyoming; one was also born in 1994 in Wisconsin). The birth of such a creature in the wild is believed to statistically occur as infrequently as one in one million (or even one in ten million) births.
Bison in the USA
Bison are North America’s largest mammals, and their mating season lasts from mid-July to mid-August with a gestation period of almost ten months. Centuries ago, between 30 and 60 million bison roamed between Alaska and Mexico, but by 1884 just 325 animals remained, thanks to the appalling agendas and hunting practices of non-Natives at the time. Conservationists and scientists have since rescued bison from extinction, and today, populations have been restored.
Following recovery efforts, between 3000 and 6000 wild bison are now living in two distinct herds in Yellowstone, as well as other populations. It is estimated that there are around 20,500 Plains bison in conservation herds in the USA as well as wild herds roaming on public lands and 420,000 in commercial herds (most of which have some cattle genetics). They are not threatened with extinction, but issues including loss of genetic diversity and the forces of natural selection are an ongoing challenge.
Yellowstone has an ecologically based practice of limiting its bison herd numbers to around 5000, and excess of these are removed each winter, either sent for slaughter or transferred to Native tribes.
White Buffalo Calf – Outstanding Significance for Plains Indians
To many American Indian tribes, a white buffalo calf is the most sacred living thing on Earth and a white calf with black eyes, nose, and hooves is, for these native people, as significant as the second coming of Christ would be to Christians. There are numerous Native American prophecies about white bison calves being born during times of great change, and for the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Navajo, Cherokee, and some others, it is a portent of better times ahead. It is seen as both a blessing and a warning that more needs to be done to protect Earth and her animals.
It is also strongly associated with the Legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman.
White Buffalo Calf Woman
Around 80 Native tribes in the USA have their own bison herds, and many tribes have their legends of the sacred white buffalo and its importance – a sign of hope and better times coming.
One legend is thus: Two thousand years ago, as bison were disappearing, food was scarce, and times were hard, the beautiful White Buffalo Calf Woman appeared to the Lakota and presented a bowl pipe and sagebrush bundle to a tribesman. She taught them how to pray to the Creator and use the pipe to bring buffalo to them for food. She also gave instructions for how to live peacefully, decorate themselves for ceremonies, smoke the peace pipe, and pray to Mother Earth. Turning to leave, she lay down on the ground and shapeshifted into a white buffalo calf and promised that someday, when times were again hard, she’d return and stand on the earth as a white buffalo calf with a black nose, black eyes, and black hooves.
This unique new white bison calf arrival is extremely important to North America’s Indigenous cultures, and it was named “Wakan-Gli”, which is the Lakota word for “Return Sacred”. This occurred at a Lakota ceremony on June 27th conducted by Chief Arvol Looking Horse (spiritual leader of the Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota Oyate) on the sovereign land of the Shoshone Bannock. He is the 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe and Bundle.
While national park officials have formally acknowledged the birth of this calf, it has not reportedly been seen since June 4th, with national park staff unable to locate it to date. One in five bison calves die soon after birth and it is hoped it will be located again, alive and well, during the August post-calving count.
Buffalo at Indian Traders
With a genuine love for Native Americans and their rich, diverse culture, Indian Traders is thrilled to offer a vast catalogue of beautiful authentic Native American jewelry and Native American throws and blankets featuring the buffalo motif or White Buffalo “turquoise”, as well as bronze Buffalo busts and articles from the STS Ranchwear Buffalo Creek line of bags.