A White Buffalo, or American Bison, in a wild animal rescue sanctuary. Close up shot as the Bison looks into the vehicle window! These very large majestic beasts were almost extinct in the 19th century due to commercial hunting and slaughter, leaving only 541 animals in 1889. But they have come back in small herds, raised privately or in National Parks such as Yellowstone and Grand Canyon North, roughly 31,000 exist today. White buffalo are rare, due to breeding the white fur is a white bison.