At Yellowstone National Park, a bison has gored an 83-year-old woman from Greenville, South Carolina, leaving her seriously injured.
According to the park, the bison had been defending its territory when it charged at the woman. The attack occurred near Storm Point Trail, which is located on the northern side of Yellowstone Lake.
The bison came just a short distance away from the woman and lifted her about a foot off the ground with its horns.
The woman was immediately taken to the nearby Lake Medical Clinic for treatment. Then, she was flown by helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. The extent of her injuries is unclear.
Bison have harmed more people at Yellowstone than any other animal. The park states that it is the responsibility of visitors to maintain a proper distance from wild animals.
Visitors should stay at least 25 yards away from large animals, such as bison, elk, moose, deer, bighorn sheep, and coyotes, as they are not well-adapted to being around humans.
“Bison are not aggressive animals but will defend their space when threatened. They are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans,” said the park.
Back in April, a man from Idaho was attacked by a bison in Yellowstone after kicking it. He suffered minor injuries and was later charged with disorderly conduct, being under the influence of alcohol, and disturbing wildlife.
Over the past few years, several other individuals were gored by bison as well. In 2023, an Arizona woman sustained significant injuries from a bison attack at the park. In 2022, bison injured two people.
Bison are the largest mammals in North America. Males can weigh up to 2,000 pounds. Park officials say that their mating season takes place from mid-July to mid-August, and bison can become more agitated during that time frame.
Once upon a time, millions of bison roamed across North America, but during the United States’ westward expansion in the 19th century, the species were driven to the brink of extinction.
At one point, their population fell to just a few hundred. Currently, there are about 420,000 bison in commercial herds and 20,500 in conservation herds in the U.S.
