Is the birth of Wyoming’s white buffalo the next Miracle?

“Birth of Rare White Buffalo in Wyo. Fulfills Lakota Prophecy.” You may have read that People headline (or seen another similar one) recently too. It sparked a “Say what now?” moment that definitely prompted me to click the link. And that’s all it took to tumble down a rabbit hole.

Worth More Than 1,000 Words

There’s a lot that’s amazing about this story. For one, it’s amazing that there’s even a photo of the newborn white buffalo at all.

Buffalo, or really bison, qualify as one of Yellowstone National Park’s Big Five. The Yellowstone Safari Company noted that August is one of the best months to spot them. But it’s not the only time. “Some days they cover the landscape in impossible numbers, while others are completely absent.”

So it was pretty cool that photographer Erin Braaten spotted a herd. But factor into that equation the rarity of seeing the miracle of birth in the wild. And then talk about being in the right place at the right time to see not only a bison calf moments after it was born but a rare white one at that!

Rare Color?

But just how rare is a white buffalo?

In an AP article about the birth, “Jim Matheson, executive director of the National Bison Association, could not quantify how rare the calf is.”

He went on to say that as far as he knew, “no one’s ever tracked the occurrence of white buffalo being born throughout history. So I’m not sure how we can make a determination how often it occurs.”

However, Arvol Looking Horse, the spiritual leader of the Lakota Tribe, mentioned one was born in Wisconsin in 1994 and her name was Miracle. Even though she was born on a farm, the event was so rare that it created quite a stir. In fact, even to this day, people make pilgrimages to see where she was born because they feel the land is that sacred.

But it could also be because Miracle wasn’t the only white buffalo born on the farm. NBC News reported that two other white buffalos were there. One in 1996, but it only lived three days. The next, a male, was born in 2006.

However, he must not have lived very long, either. I say that because of a Watertown Daily Times article from 2018, which reported on a monument created to honor Dave and Valerie Heider, the “caretakers of Miracle the White Buffalo.” No mention was made of the buffalo born in 2006. But it did mention the last time a white buffalo created the same stir Miracle did: 1933.

A white buffalo was also born on another farm this year, in Texas. We’ll talk about that one in a second after we delve into the legend. But as Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a video released by the Texas Department of Agriculture, “One in ten million? We don’t even have ten million buffalo anymore.”

Because of the rarity of white animals like this, many have inspired stories to explain them, like the white deer. But some legends are more meaningful and significant than others, like that of the white buffalo.

The Legend of the White Buffalo (a.k.a. Spirit Bison or Ghost Bison)

“Legend” might be too demur of a word. It’s a significant event for Indigenous American people. Per the AP article, Looking Horse said, “For the Lakota, the birth of a white buffalo calf with a black nose, eyes and hooves is akin to the second coming of Jesus Christ.”

According to the legend, about 2,000 years ago, the Lakota were experiencing dire times. Food was running out, the bison were disappearing, and basically, nothing good was happening.

Then “White Buffalo Calf Woman appeared, presented a bowl pipe and a bundle to a tribal member, taught them how to pray and said that the pipe could be used to bring buffalo to the area for food. As she left, she turned into a white buffalo calf.”

But before she changed, she assured the Lakota that “some day when the times are hard again, I shall return and stand upon the earth as a white buffalo calf, black nose, black eyes, black hooves.”

Basically, she signals better times ahead. Or, as NBC News put it, “such an animal will reunite all the races of man and restore balance to the world.”

Miracle Compared to the Yellowstone Park White Buffalo

The Watertown Daily Times explained that “to be a true ‘white buffalo’ of American Indian lore, an animal must go through being born white, then turn black, red and yellow. Miracle did all of that.”

It’s no secret Miracle didn’t fulfill her destiny. When the third white buffalo was born on the Wisconsin farm, Gary Adamson, whose heritage includes Choctaw and Cherokee, explained it by saying, “There are still things that need to be done and Miracle’s task wasn’t quite done yet and we feel there’s something there.”

Time will tell if the calf in Yellowstone Park will be a “true white buffalo” like Miracle was. Or if it will fulfill the prophecy.

In some ways, it will. It brings people together to marvel at nature. And maybe appreciate it. Which makes Looking Horse’s words ring even more relevant: “The birth of this calf is both a blessing and warning. We must do more.” More, meaning both respecting and protecting the Earth and her natural resources.

Many would argue the world has never been more chaotic, which is also why the birth of a white buffalo, especially now, fills so many with hope. But that’s a lot of weight for one little buffalo to carry. (Although, if it reaches adulthood, the burden might be easier to bear. Bison grow to weigh as much as 2,000 pounds!)

But, as with most things, it’s better to share Life’s encumbrances. Maybe that’s what the white buffalo in Yellowstone Park is really meant to do? Or is it the sole legacy?

You Can’t Make a Spirit Bison (Or can you?)

On April 30, The Hill reported about a rare white bison named “Unatsi” (Cherokee for snow) born at the Wagon Springs Ranch in Burnet, Texas.

Like the farm where Miracle was born, Wagon Springs Ranch also raises buffalo. This is their first white one, but unlike the farm in Wisconsin, Wagon Springs was trying to breed a white calf.

Carl Chambers, the ranch’s owner, said they “crossed two blonde-haired bison last year.” (They also have brown and cream-colored buffaloes.)

In the Texas Dept of Agriculture video, Chambers explained that at first, when they tried, they were getting “grays and stuff” and didn’t think it was going to work. Then it did.

But Unatsi might not be a “true white buffalo” the legends refer to. The Texas Agriculture Commissioner described the calf as a “true albino” with “pink eyes and everything.” That would be significant because it’s the white buffalo, not albino, that most Indigenous American tribes revere.

So the Yellowstone Park calf might prove to be the one legit spirit bison.

What’s the Yellowstone Park white buffalo’s name?

Speaking of names, Looking Horse said the Lakota held a naming ceremony for the recently born calf in Wyoming, but he didn’t reveal the name. However, maybe we’ll find out on June 26. That’s when they’ll hold a ceremony at the Buffalo Field Campaign headquarters in West Yellowstone to celebrate the calf’s birth.

Check-In

Have you ever seen a white or albino animal in the wild?