Yellowstone National Park Reports First Human-Bison Encounter of 2020
A female visitor to Yellowstone National Park on Wednesday got within 25 yards of a bison, which knocked her to the ground, according to a news release.
She and the bison were in the Old Faithful Upper Geyser Basin when the incident occurred.
Park emergency medical providers immediately responded to the incident. The woman was assessed and she refused transport to a medical facility.
This is the first incident of a bison injuring a visitor in 2020.
The incident remains under investigation. The park had no additional information to share on Wednesday.
"Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild," according to the news release.
Give animals space when they are near a trail, boardwalk or parking lot.
If large animals -- bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose -- are in a developed area, stay at least 25 yards away from them.
Give bears and wolves at least 100 yards of space.
If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity.
Despite advice from rangers, literature distributed at entrances and signs, some visitors over the years have failed to heed warnings about animals. Those failures sometimes have resulted in injuries.
Likewise, visitors also have ignored warnings about staying on trails and boardwalks when near thermal areas. Those failures have resulted in injuries, burns and death. (See the gallery below).
Those who violate those warnings are subject to citations and federal charges.
For more about safety in Yellowstone National Park, visit its website that includes information about how to behave around wildlife.
The park also recommends taking the Yellowstone Pledge.
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