A bison launched a tourist more than two meters into the air after charging him at Yellowstone National Park on Sunday [1], [2].
The incident underscores the persistent danger posed by wildlife in protected areas and the critical importance of maintaining legal distance from large mammals during peak aggression periods.
The attack occurred on July 12, 2026 [1]. According to reports, the unidentified visitor approached the animal too closely during the rutting season, a period when bison are known to become more aggressive [4].
Witnesses and reports describe a violent encounter where the animal used its horns to strike the man. The bison, which weighed approximately 900 kg [1], struck the visitor with enough force to throw him more than two meters high [2].
"The man was gored by one of its horns and flew more than two meters through the air," a report from TN.com.ar said [1]. Other accounts confirmed the animal's massive size and the height of the launch [3].
Park officials used the event to remind visitors that wildlife can be unpredictable. A spokesperson for the National Park Service said the incident reavives warnings to maintain a safe distance from wildlife, especially during the rutting season [5].
Yellowstone officials frequently warn that bison are not pets and can charge without warning. The park's guidelines require visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from bison, and other large animals, to avoid such confrontations.
“A bison of 900 kilos charged the visitor and launched him through the air to a height of more than 2 meters.”
This incident highlights the recurring conflict between tourism and wildlife preservation in the U.S. national park system. During the rutting season, hormonal changes make large herbivores like bison significantly more territorial and volatile. When visitors ignore distance markers for the sake of proximity or photography, it increases the likelihood of severe injuries, and may lead to park authorities considering stricter enforcement of wildlife boundaries.
