EBS STAFF
The Yellowstone white bison calf, with black eyes and hooves, may signal a natural genetic legacy in park bison, a June 28 release from the park stated.
Yellowstone National Park confirmed the sightings of the rare white calf and confirmed that the calf was born in Lamar Valley on June 4, 2024.
Since the initial sighting, park staff have not located the calf or recorded further sightings, but noted the significance of the rare event.
When the bison population numbered in the tens of millions in the late 18th century, the birth of a white buffalo was known as a rare occurrence—now the park indicates this event could be a sign of the ecocultural recovery of park wild bison populations, which number between 3,000 and 6,000.
“The birth of a white bison calf in the wild is believed to occur in 1 in 1 million births or even less frequently,” the release stated. Montana Free Press and Associated Press collaborated in reporting on the spiritual significance of the birth, stating that the calf is known as Wakan Gli which translates to “Return Sacred” in Lakota.
