South Dakotans hoping to give bison their due

Tuesday, Jun 10, 2014 5:01 PM Updated Wednesday, Jun. 11, 2014 3:46 PM

Three members of Congress from South Dakota are backing a bill to make the bison the “national mammal” of the United States in recognition of the animal’s role in Native American and U.S. history.

Amber Hunt/Associated Press file photo

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The American bison, survivor of bitter winters and the turbulent history of the Great Plains, took a first step Wednesday toward becoming an official American symbol.

Congress will consider a bill “to adopt the bison as the national mammal of the United States.”

South Dakota has 33,000 bison, one-sixth the national total, and three members in Congress who back the idea of honoring them.

Sen. Tim Johnson, a Democrat, is the lead sponsor in the Senate.

“The bison has played an important role in our nation’s history, holds spiritual significance to Native American cultures and remains one of our most iconic and enduring symbols,” Johnson said Tuesday.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., has signed on as a co-sponsor. Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., is lead sponsor of the effort in the House.

If passed, the largely ceremonial designation would give the animal more recognition but not any added protection. Similar legislation introduced in 2012 stalled in Congress.

The bison is a fuzzy beast with a dark stare and hardy disposition. Calves come into the world at 40 pounds. Cows often stay fertile until age 30. Full-grown bulls run 2,500 pounds. “National mammal” might lack the ring of the bald eagle, “The Star Spangled Banner” and other fixtures on the motley list of American emblems. But it deserves to catch on with the others, backers of the bill said.

One supporter is Dave Carter, executive director of the National Bison Association in Westminster. Bison once roamed free and abundant in the Upper Plains until disaster struck in the 1800s. A systematic decimation of herds occurred during the Indian wars to deprive Native Americans of a food source, he said. Bison also died of disease as imported cattle crossed the Atlantic and introduced American herds to new forms of sickness.

“There was wanton slaughter. European livestock brought disease. A number of factors caused the population to crash,” said Carter.

Bison now are on solid footing. They live in every state, including Hawaii, and serve as a food source, cultural attraction and key member of the ecosystem.

“Tens of thousands of people come to South Dakota every year to see our buffalo herd at Custer State Park, and I can think of no better animal to symbolize our nation than the American bison,” said South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard.