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

The birth of the white bison, which fulfilled a Lakota prophecy foreshadowing 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 the birth for the first time.

This is an extremely rare event: a white buffalo is born in the wild once in a million, 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 mentions that each spring, about one in five calves die shortly after birth due to natural disasters, but officials declined to directly answer questions about how they feel about death.

The birth of the white bison, also called bison, was confirmed 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 him and officials are unaware of any other confirmed sightings in the park, one of the last sanctuaries for free-ranging 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, 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.