A bison in the grasslands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

The giant that came back. National Bison Day

When the going gets tough, the bison gets grazing. National Bison Day celebrates the North American mammal that can weigh up to 2,000 pounds yet sprint at 35 mph. Observed on the first Saturday of November, the day honors the bovine that became the United States' national mammal in 2016.

Despite often being called a buffalo, the American bison is not one of the true buffaloes, which are native to Africa and Asia. Its scientific name, Bison bison, leaves little room for confusion. Its muscular shoulder hump helps it swing its head side to side, clearing snow to reach grass underneath. Both males and females grow horns and beards. Their tails offer clues about their mood: a swishing tail generally signals calm, while a raised tail may indicate agitation.

Yellowstone National Park is the only place in the United States where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times. Once nearly driven to extinction, bison have made an impressive conservation comeback. Today, their survival is a conservation success worth celebrating.