An 83-year-old woman from South Carolina was seriously hurt when a bison attacked her in Yellowstone National Park over the weekend. The park said on Monday that the bison was protecting its space when it gored the woman near the Storm Point Trail at the north end of Yellowstone Lake. The bison got very close to her and lifted her about a foot off the ground with its horns.
Emergency workers first took the woman to the nearby Lake Medical Clinic for treatment, and then she was flown to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. The park did not provide any details about her injuries or her condition as of Monday night. The woman’s name was not released.
Yellowstone National Park mentioned that bison have injured more people than any other animals in the park. They reminded visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from large animals like bison and 100 yards away from bears and wolves. The park explained that while bison are not usually aggressive, they will defend themselves if they feel threatened. Bison are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.
In April, an Idaho man had minor injuries after a bison attacked him in Yellowstone. He was accused of kicking the bison and was later charged with being under the influence of alcohol, disorderly conduct, and disturbing wildlife.
Last year, a 47-year-old woman was also gored by a bison near the same area as the recent incident. In 2022, a 25-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man were gored by bison near Old Faithful just weeks apart. A 71-year-old tourist from Pennsylvania was also attacked by a bison in June 2022.
According to the Department of the Interior, bison are the largest mammals in North America, with males weighing up to 2,000 pounds. Their mating season is from mid-July to mid-August, during which they can become more easily agitated.