Bear River State Park, located in the southwest corner of Wyoming, has recently welcomed an incredibly rare new member to its community – a tiny, fuzzy white bison calf.
Park officials informed Cowboy State Daily that the white bison calf was born weighing only 30 pounds, small for a bison, but is currently doing well. As of May 17, the calf’s name and sex were not yet known.
“We’re not sure if it’s a bull calf or a heifer calf. The calf’s fur makes it difficult to determine its sex,” Park Superintendent Tyfani Sager said.
According to a post on Bear River State Park’s Facebook page, the bison is not albino, but rather possesses a rare genetic makeup that results in its white fur.
In 2021, the park acquired two white bison heifers, and the new calf’s mother, Wyoming Hope, was bred by a resident bull at the site. This birth marks the first white bison to be born at Bear River State Park.
“Most of the bison you find anymore have some cattle genetics. They were nearly hunted to extinction by the late 1800s. People got concerned about extinction, and cattle inbreeding was used. A white bison birth is still fairly rare,” Sager told Cowboy State Daily.
As reported by CBS News, the National Bison Association said that the birth of a white bison is a remarkable 1-in-10-million event.
This rare occurrence is also celebrated by some Indigenous groups. Some Native American tribes, including the Sioux, Cherokee, Navajo, Lakota, and Dakota, consider a white buffalo calf the most sacred living thing on Earth, according to the National Parks Service.
“Some American Indians say the birth of a white calf is an omen because the birth takes place in the most unexpected places and often happens among the poorest of people. The birth is sacred within the American Indian communities because it brings a sense of hope and is a sign that good times are about to happen,” said the Service.
The birth of this rare white bison highlights the importance of conservation efforts in the outdoor recreation industry. It serves as a reminder that preserving and protecting wildlife is not only essential for maintaining the delicate balance of our ecosystems, but also for enriching the visitor experience.
State parks and other outdoor recreation spaces can leverage the appeal of rare species sightings to attract tourists and promote ecotourism, raising awareness about conservation and generating revenue that can be reinvested in habitat restoration and wildlife protection initiatives.
By fostering responsible tourism and engaging local communities in conservation efforts, the outdoor recreation industry can help ensure that unique natural phenomena, like the white bison’s birth, continue to inspire wonder and respect for nature.
