Have you hugged your bison? Obama made it America's national mammal today

Here's something I didn't see coming: President Obama today made the American bison the national mammal of the United States.

Obama signed the National Bison Legacy Act into law, putting the bison on par with the Bald Eagle as an official symbol of our country.

As the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service points out, both are among the greatest conservation success stories of all time.

The awesome, incredible - and resilient - American bison. Photo credit: Jim Carr, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Millions of bison roamed across North America in prehistoric times, only to have their numbers decimated to a few hundred by the late 1800s.

Now they're in all 50 states. According to the InterTribal Buffalo Council, which helped push for the designation, the population has rebounded to about 500,000 bison today.

The group has said bison contribute to a "multimillion dollar sector of American agriculture."

"Had it not been for a few private individuals working with tribes, states and the Interior Department, the bison would be extinct today," the agency said.

See this for 15 fun bison factoids, such as their ability to run 35 mph, their nearsightedness, and how you can tell their mood by looking at their tail.