A tourist remains in critical condition after being charged and tossed roughly eight feet into the air by a bull bison at the Bridge Bay Campground near Fishing Bridge, at Yellowstone National Park in the US.
The incident unfolded as the man was walking with his young grandson. According to eyewitness and photographer Mike MacLeod, the pair had been practising proper safety measures, maintaining a distance of approximately 100 yards from the animal, well beyond the park's required minimum, as per reports.
A tourist was seriously injured after a bison tossed them about 8 feet into the air in Yellowstone National Park. The attack was captured on video by photographer Mike Macleod. pic.twitter.com/ZtGTb32Gee
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Before the attack, the agitated bison had already charged at other park visitors and nearby vehicles.
The bison subsequently stopped to roll in a patch of dirt, a common behaviour, and appeared to calm down. Believing the danger had passed, the grandfather and grandson briefly paused to take photos before retreating behind a cluster of trees as the animal stood back up.
A few moments later, a white pickup truck passing by made the bison more aggressive. Instead of chasing the truck, the bison turned around and charged towards the nearby trees, where the grandfather and grandson had taken shelter.
The animal then suddenly redirected its aggression towards the man and his grandchild. While the young child managed to run to safety, the bison pursued the older man, hooking him with its horn and launching him into the air.
Tragedy was averted when heroic bystanders intervened. By shouting loudly and moving aggressively towards the animal, the crowd successfully forced the bison to retreat. Yellowstone emergency medical teams quickly responded to the scene, providing immediate care before transporting the severely injured tourist to a medical facility. The victim's grandson later confirmed that he sustained serious injuries and remains in critical condition.
The harrowing encounter underscores strict warnings from the National Park Service regarding wildlife safety. Park authorities continuously advise visitors that bison are wild, unpredictable, and can run three times faster than humans. Officials remind the public to maintain a mandatory distance of at least 25 yards (23 metres) from bison and elk, and 100 yards from bears and wolves.
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