South Park’s Game Preserve welcomed two baby bison last week, adding to the nine adult bison that wander along Sesqui Drive. Originally, I reported that one calf was named Riis after Paul Riis, the founder of Allegheny County’s Parks system, while the other was christened Roddey after Jim Roddey, the first Allegheny County executive who recently died.
It turns out, before the county gave them those names, they were already given native names in honor of their origins: "Takoda,” from the Sioux Tribe meaning ”friend to all” and “Elu” meaning “beautiful” from the Native American Zuni Tribe.
Reader Kaitlin B. wrote in to let me know that the Friends of South Park Buffalo group have always named the animals, and the county never expressed interest in naming them before. “The people’s Buffalo family should remain peaceful and nonpartisan,” the Friends of South Park Buffalo posted.
If you want to see the bison up close, there are public feedings from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.
This article was updated on March 22 with the correct names.
