At Yellowstone National Park, a 72-year-old woman was gored by a bison when she attempted to get a picture of it.
What We Know:
- On June 25, a 72-year-old California woman was at the Yellowstone National Park when she spotted the bison and wanted to take photographs of it. Unfortunately, the bison felt threatened and charged at the woman while at her Bridge Bay Campground.
- The woman sustained many goring wounds and was treated by park rangers before being flown to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, according to the news release Monday from the National Park Service.
- “The series of events that led to the goring suggest the bison was threatened by being repeatedly approached to within 10 feet,” Yellowstone’s Senior Bison Biologist Chris Geremia said. “Bison are wild animals that respond to threats by displaying aggressive behaviors like pawing the ground, snorting, bobbing their head, bellowing, and raising their tail. If that doesn’t make the threat (in this instance it was a person) move away, a threatened bison may charge.”
- Geremia also added that if anyone has an encounter with a bison, they should stay at least 25 feet away to ensure safety. If a person is approached by a bison, the person should move away. If the bison starts to charge, the person should run away or find cover. In addition to keeping a safe distance from wildlife, the park advises keeping a safe distance from each other as part of the coronavirus safety regulations.
- So far, there isn’t any more information on the woman’s well being and the NPS said that the incident is still under investigation.
This is not the first incident that has occurred at this park. Two days after the park reopened, a Yellowstone visitor was injured by a bison on May 20 where she was “knocked to the ground” after approaching the animal too closely, according to officials.
