Those faithful to West Texas A&M University know Thunder XI, the current live mascot for WT. She is an embodiment of WT’s school spirit. She is the symbol for WT, and is known across the nation. The Buffalo Stampede is a tradition that is seen at every home football game. Thunder leads the football team into battle, then takes to the field to celebrate a touchdown. She is important to the university and her caretakers, the Herdsmen. Since 2012, the Herdsmen have been working on creating a new habitat for WT’s beloved buffalo
The project, according to www.wtamu.edu/wtamu-herdsmen, is estimated to cost around $150,000. The Herdsmen have been trying to obtain donations through spreading awareness of what they are trying to accomplish with the donations.
“We mainly just inform people about what the organization is, what we are trying to accomplish, and we tell them that most of it is through donations,” Justin Souders, senior and president of the Herdsmen, said, “We have had it on the internet saying what we are trying to accomplish and who they can contact if they wish to make a donation.”
The Herdsmen have also received help from a few classes around campus to help with current fundraising for the project.
“There is also an [Advertising Principles] class that is also helping us with our current fundraising,” Souders said.
The new habitat is 40 feet by 60 feet on 15 acres of land located on Valley View Road northeast of the First United Bank Center. It also has a turn-out area and shelter big enough for two animals, one being Thunder. The other is the buffalo in training that will take up the mantle afterward. There is also a round pen for training, and the building will have a a storage room and a meeting room. Along with that, there will also be a parking lot capable of holding up to 20-30 cars.
Progress is being made on the project, as current donations that are being made are now going toward more specific things inside the habitat.
“We are trying to finish up our meeting room with these donations,” Souders said.
According to the Herdsmen page on the WT website, anyone can donate, and the site gives details on who to contact and how to donate. Donations can be made via credit card or by setting up a donation via bank draft/checking account.
On a YouTube video filmed by the university, Shawn Burns, UPD chief and Herdsmen adviser, said they have been trying to get a land commitment for several years for the new habitat.
“With this project we have the ability to build a habitat specific to the bison, or American Buffalo, that’s user friendly for the animal, that’s user friendly for the Herdsmen, and most importantly keep the animal safe and contained,” Burns said in the video.
The new habitat would have enough space to house two buffalo, so one can continue as the official mascot and the other can be trained until it is ready to be unveiled as the new mascot and Thunder XI can be retired.
“What we would like to do is get the animal into a rotation to where that animal is essentially full grown before we unveil him as the next mascot and it will allow us to retire the current mascot sooner so they can go on to a natural life of roaming and grazing,” Burns said.
