Rare white bison sighted in Yellowstone evokes Native American prophecy
An incredibly rare white bison calf has been photographed in Yellowstone National Park, exciting Native American tribes who view its arrival as a religious prophecy heralding major change.
It was spotted in the Lamar Valley area of the park, making it the first white bison to be born from the last wild herd in the US, according to modern records.
The birth of a white buffalo is a sacred event for many Native tribes of the Great Plains, including the Lakota people, who believe that it relates to a time around 2,000 years ago when food was scarce and the bison were rarely seen.
The Lakota legend tells of a beautiful woman who appeared and delivered the gifts of a sacred pipe and bundle to the people. The woman told them she would return to restore harmony in a troubled world, and then rolled on the ground four times, changing colour each time before becoming a white buffalo calf.
Her departure led the bison to return, and white buffalos are now seen as a sign that prayers are being heard and that change is coming.
Rare and beautiful, but not that rare considering the small number of bison around. Another was born last year in Wyoming
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-white-bison-born-in-wyoming-state-park-180982262/
There are also white Black Bear called Kermode bears. Lots of superstition around those too. Rare, but they are born all the time
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kermode_bear
This one probably was too since it was photographed in Lamar Valley.
Kermode bears are one of the rarest bear species on earth. They are a subset of the American black bear, and only 1 in 10-20 births inherit the mutated gene from both parents that makes their fur white.
They only live in a small area of the BC coast, north of Vancouver Island and on a couple of small coastal islands.
Estimated population is between 400-1200 bears total.