A rare white bison, sacred to Native Americans, has not been seen since its birth on June 4

The birth of the white buffalo, which fulfilled a Lakota prophecy that foreshadowed better times, was the first recorded in Yellowstone’s history and is a landmark event for the ecocultural recovery of the bison, park officials said in confirming birth for the first time.

This is an extremely rare phenomenon: a white buffalo is born in the wild once in a million births, or even less frequently, the park said.

It is not known whether the calf, named Wakan Gli, which means “Sacred Return” in Lakota, is still alive.

The park’s statement said that each spring, about one in five calves die shortly after birth due to natural disasters, but officials declined to answer questions directly about whether they believed any had died.

They confirmed the birth of the white buffalo — also known as bison — after receiving photos and reports from several park visitors, professional wildlife observers, commercial guides and researchers. But since June 4, park staff have been unable to find it, and officials are unaware of any other confirmed sightings in the park, one of the last sanctuaries for free-roaming American bison.

Native American leaders held a ceremony earlier this week to honor the sacred birth of the white buffalo and give it its name.

The creature’s birth fulfills a Lakota prophecy that portends better times ahead, according to tribal members, who warn it is also a signal that more must be done to protect the land and its animals.

Suspicions about the calf’s fate grew as weeks passed without another sighting since its birth in the Lamar Valley, a prime spot for wildlife viewing in Yellowstone. Young buffalo can fall victim to predators, river currents, disease and other dangers.