A rare white buffalo calf, considered sacred by the Lakota Native American tribe, has not been seen since its birth earlier this month in Yellowstone National Park. The calf’s birth, which park officials described as a “natural phenomenon,” was celebrated by Lakota religious leaders, who view the event as deeply significant.
The white buffalo calf was last observed in Lamar Valley on June 4, according to reports and photos from park visitors, professional wildlife watchers, commercial guides, and researchers. Yellowstone National Park officials noted that about one in five calves die shortly after birth due to natural hazards, but they did not confirm whether they believe the white calf has died.
The Lakota tribe held a religious ceremony to celebrate the calf’s birth, naming it Wakan Gli, which means “Return Sacred” in Lakota. According to Lakota religion, White Buffalo Calf Woman appeared to the tribe around 2,000 years ago, teaching them how to pray and gifting them with a bowl pipe and bundle before transforming into a white buffalo calf. Chief Arvol Looking Horse, the spiritual leader of the Lakota, stated that the calf’s return brings hope during challenging times and underscores the need to protect the Earth’s ecosystem.
Biologists at Yellowstone National Park believe the calf is leucistic rather than albino, meaning it has black eyes and hooves with some pigmentation. A white buffalo calf is an extraordinarily rare occurrence, happening in about one in every 1 million births, or potentially even less frequently. The last known white buffalo calf was born on July 4, 2012, in Avon, Minnesota, and died two weeks later.
Yellowstone National Park officials confirmed the birth of the white buffalo after receiving photos and reports from multiple sources. However, since June 4, park staff have not been able to locate the calf, and there have been no other confirmed sightings. Rangers who regularly work in both accessible and backcountry areas of the park have not seen the animal, according to park spokesperson Morgan Warthin.
Native American leaders held a ceremony earlier this week to honor the sacred birth of the white buffalo and to give it its name. The Lakota tribe cautions that the prophecy tied to the birth of the white buffalo is also a signal that more must be done to protect the Earth and its animals.
Suspicion about the calf’s fate has grown as weeks have passed without another sighting. Young buffalo can fall victim to predators, river currents, illness, and other hazards. Mike Mease, a co-founder of the Buffalo Field Campaign, a conservation group that works with tribes to protect and honor wild buffalo, believes the calf is alive somewhere in the park, away from the roads and walkways most visitors frequent. He noted that a grizzly bear seen by Yellowstone visitors earlier this month with five cubs, an unusually large brood, has also not been seen since.
Mease emphasized that the most important aspect of the white buffalo’s birth is the fulfillment of a prophecy, which serves as both a warning and a blessing. “Whether it’s dead or alive, the message has been relayed from the heavens and times are different now. We have to make changes for the future,” he said.
Historically, white bison were extremely rare, likely due to albinism, which occurs at a frequency of about one in 10 million. However, white bison have become more common in recent years. The herd in South Park, for example, had at least four white bison, and white bison can be seen in three Canadian territories and about a dozen states. The gene for white hair in these bison was introduced from cows during crossbreeding experiments in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman has been passed down by Lakota elders for over 2,000 years. The legend tells of a time when the Lakota had lost their ability to pray to the Creator. A young woman in shining white buckskin appeared to teach the people to pray during seven sacred rites, giving them the White Buffalo Calf Chanupa, or pipe, which played an important role in each of the rites. As she left, she told them she would return to establish peace, harmony, and balance, transforming into a white buffalo calf.
Today, the Sioux, Cherokee, Comanche, and Navajo tribes celebrate the birth of a white buffalo as a sacred omen indicating that their prayers have been heard and portending better times. The birth of the white buffalo calf in Yellowstone is a landmark event for the recovery of buffalo and holds deep spiritual significance for Native American tribes.
Source: Associated Press, Forbes, National Park Service, New York Times
