Sacred Storm Buffalo has welcomed 50 heifer bison calves from the Wind Cave herd. This expansion represents a significant step toward restoring balance to the grasslands of South Dakota and strengthening the long-term stability of this species. This is a symbiotic relationship with Sacred Storm—while the herd strengthens the bison species, Sacred Storm strengthens the long-term sustainability of the Oyate (the people) and its social enterprise, Sacred Storm Buffalo. As the Oyate reclaim their food sovereignty, Sacred Storm simultaneously strengthens its sovereignty and self-determination, ensuring a resilient future for the people and the land.
The Wind Cave Bison Herd
Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota’s Black Hills is home to the Wind Cave bison herd. The origins of the Wind Cave herd date back to the early 1900s, when conservationists reintroduced 14 bison from the Bronx Zoo and six from Yellowstone National Park to restore a population nearing extinction.
Wind Cave is not only home to one of the most genetically valuable bison herds in North America. It also holds profound cultural significance for the Lakota people. Known as Oniya Oshoka or Maka Oniye (Breathing Earth) in Lakota tradition, Wind Cave is believed to be the place from which the first humans and bison emerged, and the source of the closely held connection that Indigenous nations across the Plains share with bison.
Over the decades and through careful stewardship, the herd has become a living link to the millions of bison that once roamed across the Great Plains.
This bison population is unique. Unlike many other herds, which have faced genetic bottlenecks—dramatic population reductions that lead to a loss of genetic diversity—or crossbreeding with cattle, the Wind Cave herd preserves a rare genetic lineage, making it a vital resource for bison conservation efforts.
Today, the park works with organizations like The Nature Conservancy to transfer bison to other herds, promoting genetic diversity and reestablishing the natural flow of genes that was lost when bison populations were fragmented.
Expanding a Herd, Empowering a Nation
Sacred Storm Buffalo Sacred Storm Buffalo recently expanded our local bison herd with 50 heifer calves from the Wind Cave population. With the integration of these genetically pure bison into their herd, we’ve increased the genetic diversity that’s necessary for the long-term health and resilience of the species.
In addition to supporting bison conversation efforts, the donation from Wind Cave herd continues the legacy of the bison relative and the connection that the Plains Nations share with them. These new calves will also contribute to Sacred Storm’s broader goal of holistic community development through workforce training, cultural education, and sustainable agriculture.
These efforts empower Native communities to build self-sufficient futures while strengthening the ties between their traditions and the land.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
These 50 calves from the Wind Cave bison herd help Sacred Storm Buffalo continue our efforts to combine buffalo restoration with traditional ceremonial harvesting and local processing.
Through this work, we support the natural life cycle on the plains while advancing a powerful food sovereignty movement. As bison, a more sustainable grazer than cattle, return to their rightful place on the land, they bring ecological balance and community renewal with them.
