Introducing a Uni-horn Wood Bison

What makes you different, makes you wonderful. Did you know our wood bison calf, ‘Ok’takii’, is a uni-horn?

Earlier this summer, this energetic little calf injured one of his horns. A thorough examination by our expert Animal Health team revealed that Ok’takii had fractured his right horn at the base and tore the surrounding tissues from their normal positioning. Due to the severity of the injury, this meant that the growing horn needed to be surgically removed.

To keep things as safe and stress-free as possible, Ok’takii was anesthetized right in his habitat so he could be reunited with mom ‘Taiga’ as soon as possible. During the procedure, the damaged overlying keratin horn sheath and some of the horn-forming tissues were removed, while the horn bud (an extension of the frontal bone of the skull) was left intact. The procedure went smoothly, and Ok’takii was back with his herd the very same day. Under the watchful eyes of his dedicated care team, along with the support of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication, his post-surgery recovery has been strong and steady—and he’s back to zooming around like his playful self!

While it’s likely Ok’takii will grow up missing a horn, there’s a chance it could regrow from the horn bud but it may look a little different than usual. Either way, we’ll love him just the same and his dedicated care team will be right there to ensure he stays healthy, happy, and comfortable.

A huge thank you to our incredible teams for giving Ok’takii the best care possible.