Rare white bison joins herd in Burnet County

• Untsi, a rare white bison, and his mom strolled back into the cedar on April 24. Untsi was born on Earth Day, April 22, at Wagon Springs Ranch, just off CR 200. Photos by Martelle Luedecke/ Luedecke Photography
• On April 24, Carl Chambers petted Untsi's blonde cousin hours after it was born, at Wagon Springs Ranch in Burnet County. Photos by Martelle Luedecke/ Luedecke Photography
• Blanco, a blonde bison bull (father of a newborn white buffalo) thundered out from the brush for feed pellets April 24 at Wagon Springs Ranch, just off CR 200 in Burnet County.
• Untsi, a rare white bison, was born on Earth Day, April 22, at Wagon Springs Ranch in Burnet County.

A recent birth on his Burnet County ranch took on a more special meaning for Carl Chambers, who holds dual citizenship with the Cherokee Nation through his grandmother.

Chambers, a breeder, has tried several combinations of mates amongst his herd of buffalo and this year, his work paid off with a rare white buffalo.

Untsi was born on Earth Day, April 22.

On April 24, after checking on the newborn, Chambers and his brother Daniel trekked through the brush of the Wagons Springs Ranch, off CR 200, to locate “one of the twins.”

One of the “twins” is Untsi’s aunt who was ready to calf just days after Untsi’s birth.

Chambers hadn’t seen her that day so he and his brother set out to locate the new mom and ensure that she and the calf were okay in hopes that the newborn calf was possibly white also – just like Untsi.

Untsi’s aunt is so similar to mom that Chambers refers to them as “the twins.”

She also was mated with Blanco, Untsi’s blonde dad.

After finding the mom and calf, Chambers was able to pet the newborn.

Being only hours old the newborn didn’t know who was who.

However, Chambers was unsure how the mom was going to react, since this was her first calf. She was protective.

Chambers said that was only the second time that he had been able to pet a calf.

Although the same breeding “recipe” was used – two blonde bison – Untsi’s newborn cousin was blonde, not white.

Old World Terms As a matter of clarity, readers should know that the term “buffalo” is an Old World misnomer. In Texas, as elsewhere, there’s often confusion between the terms “buffalo” and “bison.”

While both refer to large, shaggy mammals resembling one another, they are distinct species.

The American Bison, commonly found in Texas and throughout North America, is the correct term when discussing these storied creatures. The term “buffalo” often refers to the African or Asian species, distinct from the American Bison.

Nonetheless, the birth of a “white buffalo,” which is a rare color variation of the American bison, is indeed an extraordinary event.

The chances of a white buffalo being born are quite low, estimated to be about one in 10 million.

This rarity holds sig- nificant cultural and spiritual importance for some Native American tribes, who consider the white buffalo to be a sacred symbol of hope and renewal.

For the Cherokee Nation, a white buffalo holds profound spiritual significance, embody ing a connection to their ancestral traditions and beliefs.

In Cherokee culture, the white buffalo is considered a sacred symbol of peace, unity, and harmony with nature. Its rare appearance is believed to herald a time of great spiritual awakening and renewal.

According to Cherokee teachings, encountering a white buffalo is a powerful sign of divine favor and a reminder of the importance of living in balance with the land and all living beings.

The sighting of a white buffalo is met with reverence and serves as a reminder of the sacred relationship between humanity and the natural world, reinforcing the Cherokee’s commitment to preserving their cultural heritage and respecting the interconnectedness of all life.