QUITAQUE--Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway and the Texas Bison Association are joining dozens of bison-friendly businesses and groups from around the country to celebrate the second annual National Bison Day this Saturday.

The park will be hosting the "Sunset with the Texas State Bison Herd" event from 4 p.m. -- 8 p.m. to commemorate the historical, economic, ecological and cultural contributions of bison across the American landscape.

"This is a great way to raise awareness about the importance of bison and pass along the conservation message about our own Texas State Bison Herd and others," said Caprock Canyons State Park Superintendent Donald Beard. "Seeing these animals grazing in the prairie in their native habitat at Caprock Canyons State Park may help encourage people to view bison and other species as something to properly manage and respect for future generations."

Beginning at 4 p.m., view the Texas State Bison Herd in its native prairie range. Then, enjoy a slide-show presentation about the history of this historic herd 20 minutes before sunset, around 7:15 p.m.

The bison--America's largest land mammal--is celebrated for its cultural relevance and power to inspire. In the early 1900's, bison numbered fewer than 1,100 individuals after ranging across North America in the tens of millions a century earlier.

Today, after an unprecedented conservation effort, bison number in the hundreds of thousands in the United States and are found in state and national parks, wildlife refuges, and on tribal and private lands. Bison are integrally linked to Native American culture, are a keystone species that benefit grassland ecosystems, hold significant value for private producers and rural communities, and are considered a symbol of the American West. Bison currently appear on two state flags, on the seal of the Department of the Interior, and on U.S. currency.

The "Vote Bison" Campaign, supported by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Chief Earl Old Person of the Blackfeet Nation, and Ted Roosevelt V - the great-great-grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt, is asking the public to vote and help make bison the National Mammal of the United States. To vote, please visit www.votebison.org.

All programs are free with paid park entrance fee and camping is available, along with hiking, biking, fishing, and many other outdoor and recreational opportunities. For more information, call 806-455-1492.