American bison, Pebbles, dead at Buffalo Rock State Park in Illinois; 2 remain in Ottawa
Buffalo Rock State Park lost a family member of 18 years when an American bison, Pebbles, died Tuesday afternoon.
According to an Illinois Department of Natural Resources release, Pebbles was the oldest American bison at the park and died of natural causes. She had been under veterinary care.
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Buffalo Rock State Park — located at 1300 N. 27th Road in Ottawa, Ill. — has two other American bison on site. Pebbles is survived by her 3-year-old calf, Hope, and another named, Cocoa.
Pebbles spent her entire life at the state park after being born on April 25, 2005. She lost her lifelong friend in 2019 when her mother, Holly, died at the age of 20.
Cocoa joined Pebbles at Buffalo Rock State Park on Nov. 8, 2019, coming from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington, Ill. Hope was born at the park on April 28, 2020.
Buffalo Rock State Park's New Bison
In case you were wondering how the first interactions between Pebbles and the new bison went yesterday, here is a recap!
Posted by Ottawa Illinois Visitors Center on Friday, November 8, 2019
Chris Sims is a digital producer for the Journal Star. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Pebbles, a Buffalo Rock State Park American bison, dead at 18
