Bison Calf Born at Brookfield Zoo

It is not exactly the sound of a stampede, but more like the pitter-patter of little hooves that guests can hear at Brookfield Zoo's Great Bear Wilderness exhibit with the addition of a bison calf born on May 16. The female calf marks the first birth of this species at Brookfield Zoo since the early 1970s.

The mother, Leotie, 3, arrived at Brookfield Zoo in 2009 from Wildlife Prairie State Park in Peoria to join the zoo's bison herd, which also includes the calf's father, Ron, 12; Judy, 12; Becky, 13; Drew, 13; and Lucy, 3. They can all be seen roaming their habitat at the Great Bear Wilderness exhibit, which opened in 2010.

Calves, which weigh between 40 and 70 pounds at birth, are usually born in late spring. Their coat is reddish at birth, and over a period of about 15 weeks it darkens to dark brown. They are able to stand within half an hour of their birth and can run after a few hours. Calves begin grazing when they are just shy of a week old but continue to nurse for several months.

The birth is a welcome addition considering the species was slaughtered to near extinction in the late 1800s. Bison were hunted for their meat and bones but primarily for their hides, which were made into clothing, machine belts, and rugs. By the end of the 19th century, bison populations were eliminated over 98 percent of their range in the lower 48 states, resulting in fewer than 1,000 individuals remaining. Today, bison are making a comeback. Approximately 500,000 are managed on ranches and tribal lands, and about 20,000 live in protected parks and preserves such as Yellowstone National Park.

"The bison is the symbol of the Chicago Zoological Society (CZS), which manages Brookfield Zoo, because it is one of the first North American conservation success stories," said Amy Roberts, curator of mammals for the Society. "We hope that when guests see this charismatic calf they will be inspired to take action in their everyday life to help ensure that these creatures and their natural habitats will flourish for future generations."