1 in 10 million: A rare white bison is born that breeds superstitions

A rare white bison calf was recently born at Bear River State Park in Evanston, Wyoming. in the western United States. According to members of the National Bison Association, the birth of a white bison occurs one copy in 10 million.

Not to be confused with the albino bison, these white bison are celebrated and revered by many American Indian tribes. Bear River officials said its white calf was born in the early morning of May 16, becoming the only white bison in the park.

It appears that the coloration is the result of a very small amount of bovine genetics mixing with bison DNA, rather than a genetic fluke like albinism.

Park superintendent Tyfani Sager provided more details on the incredible specimen: “Most of the bison you find today have bovine genetics,” he explained. “By the end of the 19th century they were hunted almost to extinction. People became concerned about extinction and resorted to inbreeding of livestock. The birth of a white bison is still quite rare.”

According to the National Park Service, a white buffalo calf is “the holiest living being on Earth” for some Indian tribes, such as the Sioux, Cherokee, Navajo, Lakota and Dakota.

“Some American Indians say the birth of a white calf is an omen because the birth occurs in the most unexpected of places and often occurs among the poorest people,” the report said. “Birth is sacred within American Indian communities because It brings a sense of hope and is a sign that good times are on the way.”

A white buffalo or white bison is a white-skinned American bison, considered sacred or spiritually significant in various Native American religions; AS, this class of buffalo is often visited to pray and practice other religious rituals.

It is a large mammal that has been present on the North American continent for centuries. Native to the United States and southern Canada, this animal was vital to Native Americans prior to European colonization of North America.