A woman was attacked and badly injured in Yellowstone National Park last week, the United States National Park Service has announced.
NPS decided to notify the public of the incident as a reminder that people should keep a safe distance from wildlife in all US national parks.
According to the NPS report, on June 1 an adult bison approached an 83-year-old tourist from South Carolina visiting Yellowstone. The woman apparently did not back away or do anything to maintain a respectful distance.
Feeling threatened or challenged, the animal came within a few feet of the tourist and gored her with one of its horns, lifting her off the ground. NPS says she sustained injuries serious enough to require a medical evacuation by helicopter.
“Park emergency responders transported her to the Lake Medical Clinic where she was flown by helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center,” the Park Service reported.
NPS said it had no word on the woman’s medical condition.
NPS reiterated that all wild animals in Yellowstone and other public parks are unpredictable, and many can be extremely dangerous.
Officials said visitors should do everything to maintain a distance of about 20 meters between themselves and large ungulates like bison, elk, moose, and deer. NPS recommends that visitors stay nearly 100 meters away from large predators such as bears and wolves.
Bison, iconic North American animals nearly driven to extinction in the 1800s, may look peaceful but they are anything but, NPS warns.
“Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal,” the service said in a release. “Bison are not aggressive animals but will defend their space when threatened. They are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.”
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Park Info
Park Name:
Yellowstone National Park
Location:
Wyoming, USA
More Information: https://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm
