The birth of a rare white bison calf was reported at Yellowstone National Park, fulfilling a Native American prophecy of great change in honoring Mother Earth and inspiring the Lakota Native American tribe to hold ceremonial naming in response to the sacred birth.
American bison once flourished across the United States, from the western tip of New York state to the eastern edges of Oregon. These magnificent creatures, which can weigh up to 2,000 pounds, were vital as a food source for Indigenous peoples and figured heavily in their history, culture, and beliefs. While millions of bison once roamed the plains, colonial efforts to eradicate them were also an attack on Native culture and resistance to U.S. expansion. Today, while more stable, the wild bison population is only about 30,000. One more extra special individual creature was recently added to this number: a rare white bison calf, born in Yellowstone National Park, spotted by Montana-based photographer Erin Braaten. This remarkable sighting is deeply meaningful to Indigenous religions, as white bison calves hold a sacred significance.
