One of America’s bison herds just welcomed a newborn. Watch this calf take its first steps
Custer State Park in South Dakota has 1,300 bison, one of the largest herds of free-roaming American buffalo in the world. But in March, that number grew.
If you’re looking for a spring trip and love baby animals, you may want to head to Custer State Park in South Dakota’s Black Hills. The park welcomed its first baby bison in late March — and about 450 more are expected to be born this spring.
The video above shows the cinnamon-colored calf take its first clumsy steps as it bonds with mom and other members of one of America’s largest publicly owned herds.
Millions of bison, sometimes referred to as “buffalo,” once roamed North America. By the late 1800s, only a few hundred were left. Europeans settling in the West had hunted the creatures and destroyed their habitat.
Custer State Park maintains its herd of 1,300 by having a roundup each fall (Sept. 28 this year). It’s a chance to watch cowboys, cowgirls and park staff saddle up to rally the herd. Most return to the park; some are auctioned off.
Spring also brings baby elk, deer and bighorn sheep that you can view in a drive along the park’s 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road.
Info: Custer State Park
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