An American Bison having a dust bath in Yellowstone National Park.
The American bison was named the national mammal of the United States on May 9, 2016. This majestic animal joins the ranks of the Bald Eagle as the official symbol of the country -- and much like the eagle, itâââ‰â¢s one of the greatest conservation success stories of all time.
In prehistoric times, millions of bison roamed North America -- from the forests of Alaska and the grasslands of Mexico to Nevadaâââ‰â¢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 animalâââ‰â¢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.
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