An 83-year-old woman visiting Yellowstone National Park was seriously injured when a bison, defending its space, approached the woman and lifted her about a foot off the ground with its horns.
The incident occurred Saturday near the Storm Point Trail at Yellowstone Lake, according to the National Park Service.
The woman, who is from Greenville, South Carolina, was transported by park emergency responders to the Lake Medical Clinic where she was flown by helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.
“The incident remains under investigation and there is no additional information to share at this time, including the woman’s condition,” the NPS stated late Monday afternoon.
More from the National Park Service:
Visitors: It’s your responsibility to respect safety regulations and view wildlife from a safe distance. Move away from wildlife if they approach you.
Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild and can be dangerous. Wild animals can be aggressive if people don’t respect their space. When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot or in a developed area, give it space. It is your responsibility to stay more than 25 yards (23 m) away from all large animals – bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes – and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves. If need be, move or turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity.
Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal. Bison are not aggressive animals but will defend their space when threatened. They are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.
Read more about safety in the park, including how to behave around wildlife. The safety of these animals, as well as human safety, depends on everyone using good judgment and following these simple rules.
Protect the park today and for future generations by taking the Yellowstone Pledge!
Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.