Rare white bison birth in Yellowstone hailed as prophetic sign
A white bison calf was born in America's Yellowstone National Park. Native Americans who live in the surrounding areas see it as a sign and fulfilment of prophecy. They emphasize that the birth is "comparable to the second coming of Jesus."
14 June 2024 13:12
- The birth of this calf is both a blessing and a warning. We need to do more to protect the land and animals - commented Looking Horse, a spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota Oyate Indians and the 19th keeper of the sacred pipe the Woman - White Buffalo Calf brought.
The birth of the white bison occurred after the harsh winter of 2023, which forced thousands of bison in Yellowstone Park to move to lower ground. Over 1500 of them died, and many were marked for slaughter.
Like "the second coming of Jesus Christ"
Looking Horse said that for the Lakota Indians, the birth of the white bison with a black nose, eyes, and hooves (therefore, not an albino) can be compared to the second coming of Jesus Christ.
According to experts and calculations that have appeared online, such an event happens once in 10 million births.
The Woman Who Gave the Pipe
According to the Lakota legend, about 2000 years ago, when everything was going wrong, food was scarce, and bison were becoming fewer, a woman appeared who gave a pipe to a member of the tribe, taught him how to pray, and said the pipe could be used to bring bison to Lakota lands.
Before leaving, the woman transformed into a white buffalo calf and said: "One day, when times are hard again, I will return to earth as a white buffalo calf with a black nose, black eyes, and black hooves" - reminded Looking Horse.
Photographed by a tourist. Name not revealed
A white, newly born buffalo calf was photographed on June 4 at around 13:00 GMT by an American tourist in the Lamar Valley in the northeastern part of Yellowstone Park.
The Lakota held a ceremony to name the white calf, but Looking Horse did not reveal it. He only mentioned that a similar calf born in Wisconsin in 1994 was named Miracle.
According to an agreement between the federal government and the state of Montana, the bison population in Yellowstone is limited to 5,000 animals. Surplus animals are killed or relocated.
