Bison Herd
I didn't realize the American bison has been designated our national mammal. On May 9, 2016, President Obama signed the National Bison Legacy Act into law, officially making the American bison the national mammal of the United States.
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. 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.
In 1883, Teddy Roosevelt traveled to the Dakota Territory to hunt bison. After spending a few years in the west, Roosevelt returned to New York with a new outlook on life. He paved the way for the conservation movement, and in 1905, formed the American Bison Society with William Hornaday to save the disappearing bison. Had it not been for a few private individuals working with tribes, states and the Interior Department, the bison would be extinct today.
Source: www.doi.gov/blog/15-facts-about-our-national-mammal-ameri...
Bison Herd
I didn't realize the American bison has been designated our national mammal. On May 9, 2016, President Obama signed the National Bison Legacy Act into law, officially making the American bison the national mammal of the United States.
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. 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.
In 1883, Teddy Roosevelt traveled to the Dakota Territory to hunt bison. After spending a few years in the west, Roosevelt returned to New York with a new outlook on life. He paved the way for the conservation movement, and in 1905, formed the American Bison Society with William Hornaday to save the disappearing bison. Had it not been for a few private individuals working with tribes, states and the Interior Department, the bison would be extinct today.
Source: www.doi.gov/blog/15-facts-about-our-national-mammal-ameri...