Bison Officially Declared National Mammal of the United States

It's official: the American bison is the national mammal of the United States thanks to a new law signed by President Obama.

Obama signed the National Bison Legacy Act into law today, which puts the bison alongside the Bald Eagle as official symbols of the United States, according to a Department of the Interior statement.

"In prehistoric times, millions of bison roamed North America -- from the forests of Alaska and the grasslands of Mexico to Nevada’s Great Basin and the eastern Appalachian Mountains," the statement reads. "But by the late 1800s, there were only a few hundred bison left in the United States after European settlers pushed west, reducing the animal’s habitat and hunting the bison to near extinction. Had it not been for a few private individuals working with tribes, states and the Interior Department, the bison would be extinct today."

The bison is one of the most iconic creatures in American history. America's migration westward calls to mind roving herds of bison, which often served as vital sources of food for wagon trains headed for the Pacific. Bison are also fundamental to the culture of Native Americans, who used it for food, clothing, tools and even spiritual value.

Bison are the largest mammal in North America, weighing up to 2,000 pounds and standing 6 feet tall.

Today, the Department of the Interior acts as the primary national conservation steward of the bison. The department manages land that supports 17 bison herd and a total of 10,000 bison in 12 states.

Image via Wikimedia