Bald eagles weren't actually the U.S. national bird ... from bears to bison How to survive an encounter with wildlife—from bears to bison At long last, the American buffalo has come home ...

White buffalo calves are sacred to a number of Native American tribes ... has acquired 25,000 wild bison across 65 herds on tribal land, according to National Geographic.

Editor’s Note: This story accompanies the May 2016 issue of National Geographic ... standing treaty rights. Bison loom large as sacred animals in traditional Native American customs and rituals.