Sparky, ‘One Tough Bison’ That Survived Lightning, Has Died

PRAIRIE CITY, IA — Sparky, the Iowa bison that became internet famous after he survived a lightning strike five years ago, has died. He was 14, and lived many years longer than anyone expected when a wildlife biologist found him lagging behind the herd near death in 2013.

The resilient bison was "a symbol of endurance for his species," the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge said Friday in a post announcing that Sparky had been found dead the day before after a search of the 5,600-acre restored prairie near Des Moines, Iowa.

Sparky was missing most of his hair, appeared to have burn marks and had a lump on one of his hind legs when U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist Karen Viste-Sparkman found him in July 2013. There wasn’t much to be done for the bison but wait and see if he would survive or succumb.

The odds he would make it weren't good, but Sparky proved his resilience — and earned a nickname. His amazing story of survival made headlines not only on Patch, but also multiple other news sites around the world, bringing attention to the species that were a mainstay for Plains Indians, but were driven to near-extinction in the late 19th century.

Sparky most likely died of old age. He had been dead for several days when his body was discovered, so a necropsy — the animal equivalent of an autopsy — won’t be done, the wildlife refuge said on Facebook.

“He was pretty skinny,” Viste-Sparkman told the Des Moines Register. “He had lost a lot of weight since the lightning strike and was kind of going downhill.”

Sparky was born at the National Bison Range in Montana and became part of the herd at the Neal Smith when he was 2. After surviving the lightning strike, Sparky became a favorite at the refuge and even had his picture on a T-shirt, providing an enduring memory for visitor Virginia Saldana, one of many who posted a tributes to the bison on Facebook.

“Can’t imagine living through a lightning strike,” Marcia Rima wrote. “One tough bison.”

Javier Alvarez was more philosophical. “Two forces of nature collided that day and it seems not one gave way,” he wrote. “This amazing animal will surely be missed.”

Sandy Kluth wanted to catch a glimpse of Sparky during her visits to the wildlife refuge, but the bison was elusive.

“Sad to hear,” she wrote. “He hid from us when we visited. One of God's neat creatures sent to teach us a story.”

Last summer, Sparky had been reported to be in good health and there was speculation that he had attracted a girlfriend. He had been seen near the family group and moved slowly just behind them with a female, and the two were inseparable.

With a new companion, “there still may be some hope” that Sparky would again a father, biologists speculated.

He had sired three calves before he was struck by lightning, but none since.

Whether that friendship produced a calf won’t be known until an annual fall roundup to assess the health of the herd, as well as collect hair from calves for genetic testing.

Sparky’s body will remain where it was found. Some Sparky fans have suggested on Facebook his body be preserved through taxidermy for display at the wildlife refuge. Instead be allowed to decompose naturally, contributing to the prairie ecosystem.

“It is all part of the circle of life,” the wildlife refuge said on Facebook.

“Rest in peace dear soul,” Amanda Harmon wrote. “May your species live forever on this planet — as is their right.”

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo; video via YouTube