The bison herd at Allegheny County’s South Park has grown by two.

County officials announced that two baby bison were born in South Park’s game preserve since Friday. The preserve is along Sesqui Drive, between Corrigan Drive and McConkey Road, in South Park.

“We’re really glad to have them come to the family,” said Andrew Baechle, Allegheny County’s parks director.

There are nine adult bison at South Park’s preserve — seven males and two females, Baechle said. Parks staff does not yet know the sex of the newborns.

Both newborn bison — one born Friday and the other born Sunday — have their vitamin shots.

“So far they seem to be healthy,” Baechle said. “They’re running with their mother, and things appear to be good.”

Parks staff named the baby born Friday Riis, after Paul Riis, founder of Allegheny County’s Parks system, Baechle said. The baby born on Sunday was named by county staff as Roddey, after Jim Roddey, the first Allegheny County executive who recently died.

However, volunteer group Friends of the South Park Buffalo Preserve has named the babies Takoda, from the Sioux tribe meaning “friend to all,” and Elu, meaning “beautiful” from the Zuni tribe.

“We really didn’t know they were naming them. I think it’s great that we have a support group that supports the buffalo,” Baechle said. “The county named (the baby bison), the workers and all that. That’s what we’re going to call them. I think it’s great to have nicknames.

“The really important thing is we’ve got healthy babies right now.”

A third baby bison could be on the way, Baechle said.

Bison have roamed the South Park preserve since the 1920s.

“We’ve had them here since 1927,” Baechle said. “We’ve had a healthy herd of buffalo that have been here educating (visitors) and making South Park a nice place to come.”

Baechle encouraged people to visit the preserve and check out the new bison.

The preserve is open daily from 7 a.m. to dusk. Public feedings are from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Kellen Stepler is a TribLive reporter covering the Allegheny Valley and Burrell school districts and surrounding areas. He joined the Trib in April 2023. He can be reached at kstepler@triblive.com.