HANNA CITY, Ill. (WMBD) — It’s only February, but a white bison was born on Sunday at Wildlife Prairie Park in Hanna City, making it the park’s first baby of the season.
Brielle Kuchinski, lead animal keeper at Wildlife Prairie Park, said white bison are rare, accounting for just one in every 10 million births. White bison are the same species as the brown bison, but lack coloration in their fur and hooves.
“To have one that’s so special, that not many places have, Its really cool. Not many people get to see them. They’re pretty rare in the wild too, so to have one here that people can come out to see is great,” she said.
The gestation period for bison is nine months, just like humans and cows. Bison mom Lakota and baby are doing great, said Kuchinski.
Lakota gave birth to another white bison, Talulah, in April 2021. She gave birth to another baby in 2022, but it was a stillborn.
Wildlife Prairie Park now boasts 39 bison, including the three white bison Lakota, Talulah, and the baby. The bison have about 80 acres to roam across the park.
