A bull bison charged a visitor at a Yellowstone National Park campground on Friday, flipping the man into the air [1].
The incident underscores the inherent dangers of wildlife encounters in U.S. national parks, where animals can become aggressive regardless of the distance maintained by tourists.
The attack occurred on a campground road in Wyoming [2]. According to reports, the bison appeared agitated and enraged before it targeted the campers [3, 4]. Witnesses said the animal charged the site and hooked the visitor — identified in some reports as a grandfather — with its left horn [1, 5].
"The bison hooked him with his left horn on his hip and tossed him in the air," a witness said. "He made a perfect flip and landed on his side" [6].
NBC News reported that the man was thrown approximately eight feet into the air during the assault [1]. Other observers said that the campers had been keeping what was described as a safe distance before the animal suddenly attacked [7].
Following the encounter, the man was hospitalized [2]. The specific nature of his injuries was not detailed in the available reports, though the force of the impact was significant.
Park officials have previously warned visitors to maintain a distance of at least 25 yards from bison. This event highlights the unpredictability of large mammals in protected areas, as the animal's sudden shift from agitation to a direct charge left the visitors with little time to react.
“The bison hooked him with his left horn on his hip and tossed him in the air.”
This incident emphasizes that 'safe distances' are guidelines rather than guarantees of safety. Because bison are territorial and can be triggered by environmental stressors or perceived threats, the proximity of campsites to wildlife corridors increases the risk of unpredictable animal behavior, necessitating strict adherence to park safety protocols.
