Bison gores Arizona woman in chest at Yellowstone National Park
A bison in Yellowstone National Park gored an Arizona woman in the chest as she visited the wildlife sanctuary Monday morning, authorities said.
The 47-year-old woman was walking with another person through a field in front of the Lake Lodge Cabins on the north shore of Lake Yellowstone when they came across two bison, the National Park Service said.
After spotting the wild animals, the pair turned to walk away but one of the bison — which can run three times faster than humans at 35 mph — charged and gored the woman, the agency said.
The woman, who was visiting from Phoenix, suffered “significant” injuries to her chest and abdomen, according to the park service. She was airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center via helicopter.
The 47-year-old woman was accompanied by a companion when they were attacked by the bison. Getty Images
Her condition is unknown.
The park service said it’s unclear how close the woman and her companion were to the massive mammals when the one charged, but urged all visitors to give wild animals in Yellowstone National Park space.
“Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild and can be dangerous when approached,” the agency said in a release. “When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space.”
Yellowstone Park Bison (also known as American Bison) can be dangerous animals if they feel threatened or are provoked. Getty Images
Visitors should stay more than 35 yards away from bison and other large animals like elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves, according to its directive.
The park service also advised visitors to “turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in proximity” — as the gored victim did Monday.
Yellowstone National Park is home to around 6,000 bison. VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Bison — which can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and stand 6 feet tall, are generally unpredictable and are especially irritable around this time of year as mid-July marks the start of their mating season.
The park authorities warned all visitors to use extra caution and provide additional space during the season, which runs through mid-August, since the animals “can become agitated more quickly.”
Bison show their emotions through their tails. If a bison’s tail is standing straight up, it could mean they are about to charge, according to the park service.
“Every year, there are regrettable accidents caused by people getting too close to these massive animals,” the National Park Service said. “It’s great to love the bison, but love them from a distance.”
Monday’s attack was the first bison-goring of the year.
But last year, multiple Yellowstone visitors were injured by the roaming beasts.
A 34-year-old Colorado Springs man was gored in the arm after he pulled a child out of a charging bison’s path and in a separate incident, a 25-year-old Ohio woman was gored and tossed 10 feet into the air when she walked toward a bison.
Source: New York Post
