Obama Signs Law Making Bison the First National Mammal (Published 2016)
www.nytimes.com
The United States has named its first national mammal, giving the title to a species that once stretched from the forests of Alaska to the grasslands of Mexico.

Despite, only this year they will finally make the bald eagle the national bird. Which, I also learned that they are not official symbols until a President signs a document for them to be. It is just a recognized symbol but not official. (Just my opinion but why do they really need a bill for this? What changes would making anything like this official really do?)

Here is a list of other US symbols (article includes links to other countries of the world national symbols, some official, some not made official) if you are interested:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_symbols_of_the_United_States

    • dogslayeggs@lemmy.worldEnglish
      33·
      1 day ago

      European bison were called bison a thousand years before America was discovered by Europeans and is a very close relative (different species). Buffalo is the name of the African animal that is only distantly related (different genus) and has been called bufalus by Europeans since before America was discovered by those same Europeans.

      If you are going to die on a hill, might as well call them by the names given to them by people who lived with them for thousands of years before Europeans came here:

      in Arapaho: bii (bison cow), henéécee (bison bull)

      in Lakota: pté (bison cow), tȟatȟáŋka (bison bull) - we all know how to pronounce that one, thanks to Dances with Wolves.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldEnglish
        315·
        1 day ago

        Where is the home where the buffalo roam? Is it in Senegal?

        Was Buffalo Bill called that because he was an African game hunter?

        Is it called a buffalo nickel because it has a bison on it?

        And I can’t speak for you, but I only see buffalo burger on menus as an alternative option, they seem to have left bison off.

        I rest my case. And if you wish to appeal, you can write to me in Buffalo, New York.