The American bison became the official national mammal of the United States in 2016, during the period leading to America250.
Congress designated the bison through the National Bison Legacy Act, signed into law on May 9, 2016. The law recognized the animal's importance in United States history and its deep cultural, spiritual, and economic significance to many Indigenous peoples.
The American bison is often called a buffalo, although “bison” is the scientifically accurate common name for the North American species. It was once widespread across the Great Plains and other parts of North America. Commercial hunting and government-supported destruction brought the species close to extinction in the nineteenth century.
Conservation programs later helped bison populations recover. The animal had already become a familiar American symbol through coins, state emblems, park imagery, and sports mascots. The bald eagle remains the national bird, so it is a related but different national symbol.