Bison Day celebrates national mammal’s cultural, ecological and economic role
Events across the country this weekend will celebrate the important role that America’s National Mammal, the American Bison, has played in the cultural, ecological and economic life of the North America.
A resolution sponsored by U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) and 22 other Senators designates the first Saturday in November as National Bison Day and "encourages the people of the United States to celebrate the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities." The Senate has designated every first Saturday in November as National Bison Day since 2012.
The push for National Bison Day was initiated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, the InterTribal Buffalo Council, and the National Bison Association; the same organizations that also led the effort to establish bison as the National Mammal of the United States.
Activities planned this weekend to celebrate National Bison Day range from a Bison Crawl, at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois, to family-oriented Bison Day celebrations at zoos in Denver, Detroit and elsewhere. Many individual bison ranches are hosting field days and tours to celebrate the day. Wildlife Conservation Society will be hosting a celebration on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on November 13th, following the mid-term elections.
Dave Carter, executive director of the National Bison Association, said, "Bison literally shaped the landscape of North America’s grasslands over the last thousands of years. Native Americas relied on bison for food, clothing, shelter, and spiritual strength. Today, bison are providing a viable economic future-and a healthy food source-for people in rural and urban communities alike."
Learn more at bisoncentral.com.
