Bison farming: Surprising stats about our National Mammal

This year, President Barack Obama signed the National Bison Legacy Act into law, officially making the American bison the national mammal of the United States. In prehistoric times, millions roamed North America, but by the late 1800s, there were only a few hundred animals left in the United States after European settlers pushed west, reducing the animal’s habitat, and hunting to near extinction.

Today bison ranching has become a solid, growing business. According to the National Bison Association, roughly 400,000 now roam the pastures and rangelands across North America, and more than 90 percent of those animals are on private ranches. The U.S. economic value  is an estimated $336 million. Here are some more surprising stats on the National Mammal.