Bear River State Park, located in southwest Wyoming, introduced an incredibly rare new resident on May 16, posting a photo of an adorable white bison calf to their Facebook page.
According to Cowboy State Daily, the calf’s color is not the result of albinism. Instead, its white coat is attributed to Charolais cattle genetics, like its mother Wyoming Hope. The 2-year-old mother was bread at the 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.” – Park Superintendent Tyfani Sager
The birth of a white bison is, as reported by KUTV, a 1-in-10 million event. So rare, in fact, that it’s considered to be one of the most sacred things on Earth in several Indigenous American cultures.
“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.” – National Park Service to CBS News
Image Credit: Bear River State Park via Facebook
This article was originally published by Unofficialnetworks.com. Read the original article here.
