A 34-year-old man was hospitalized after being gored by a charging bison in Yellowstone National Park. According to a video taken by Rob Goodell and shared with NBC Montana, the man was injured while lifting a child out of the way of the bison.
The incident occurred on Monday, June 27, to a man from Colorado Springs, Colorado. “The male was walking with his family on a boardwalk when a bull bison charged the group,” according to park officials.
When family members did not leave the area, the animal charged again, and the man was gored, injuring his arm. He was soon after taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, but no additional information was released.
The video shows that the bison was only within a few feet of the three adults and the child when it began its charge that nearly struck the child. After goring the man, it turned around and walked away.
This is the second such incident in 2022. On May 30th, a 25-year-old Ohio woman was charged by a bison after approaching it. She was gored and tossed 10 feet into the air. She was treated for puncture wounds as well as other injuries.
Park officials at Yellowstone advise visitors to stay at least 75 feet away from large animals such as bison, elk, moose, and coyotes and at least 300 feet away from wolves and bears.
Park officials characterize bison as particularly unpredictable. A handful of incidents involving bison and tourists at Yellowstone have occurred throughout the years.
According to park rangers, bison have caused more injuries at Yellowstone than any other animal. They can run three times faster than humans and are the largest mammals in North America, weighing up to 2,000 pounds.
