Re: Woman Injured by Yellowstone Bison

Date: June 24, 2009
Contact: Al Nash, 307-344-2015
Contact: Stacy Vallie, 307-344-2015

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Al Nash or Stacy Vallie (307) 344-2015

A 50-year -old woman from Spain was butted and tossed in the air by a bull bison at Canyon in Yellowstone National Park this morning.

At approximately 11:25 a.m., the woman and her husband were using a pay phone in the Canyon lodging area with their backs to the road. According to witnesses, two bull bison walked down the road, passing within 20 feet of the couple. One of the bison left the road, walked up behind the woman and butted her into the air. The couple, who were facing away from the road, did not see the bison. The injured woman was transported to the Canyon Lodge front desk by visitors, and taken by ambulance to the Lake Clinic where she was released with only minor injuries.

Visitors are urged to be aware of their surroundings and to be very cautious around wildlife, as they are unpredictable. Extremely serious injuries or death can result from approaching wild animals too closely or allowing wildlife to approach you even if they appear docile. Park regulations require that a minimum distance of 100 yards be maintained from bears and wolves, and 25 yards from all other animals.

That should be 100 yards from lone Bison bulls, as well. They can be very aggressive, and are considered to be the most dangerous animals in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons parks. More dangerous even than the grizz.

I have had an encounter with a bull myself at Grand Tetons. Minding your own business is not enough, you have to actively avoid them sometimes.

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RobE
you have to actively avoid them sometimes.

While driving too.

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eeek

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RobE
you have to actively avoid them sometimes.

While driving too.

I've actually been in a car driving past some bison. Sometimes there's not much one can do when they just come on out into the road surface. I even saw a bison calf, which was this pale yellow color.

Remember that Chevy truck commercial where someone is waiting as a long line of bison cross the road?

One problem with bison is that they have lousy vision. They can be absolutely unaware of the presence of people, then get startled immediately when they notice.

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y_p_w
I've actually been in a car driving past some bison.

That's how I got the picture. Sometimes they get too close even for photography:


http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php/v/yellowstone/DSCN2847.JPG.html

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eeek

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y_p_w
I've actually been in a car driving past some bison.

That's how I got the picture. Sometimes they get too close even for photography:

In a car without a traffic jam it's probably not a problem. They're not likely to be able to run down a car as long as the driver doesn't stop. Now a person on foot is another matter.

Oh - here's the shot of the calf. It was a bit dark and I was taking it using low ISO settings from a moving car. Bison calves look more like sheep or goats.

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y_p_w
Bison calves look more like sheep or goats.

I saw lots of calves last May. Just didn't get close enough to take any pictures.

Speaking of bison calves, a calf fell into Doublet Pool yesterday on Geyser Hill as he tried to catch up with his mother. He tried to vault the hot spring, but did not make it. Therein he died, and his carcass was in the pool at least part of the day, although a reliable geyser gazer stated that the body had gone missing later on. Whether it was removed by human, animal, or just being boiled down is unknown.

Back on topic, my son and his friend had a great experience on top of our minivan a few years ago as a large bull walked by at a distance of about 2 feet. He was so big his back was visible above the top of the roof. Excitement never ceases at Yellowstone!

The following link is all old stuff that has probably been posted here before, but it is on topic:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/safetyvideos.htm

There are three homemade videos of bison and elk vs tourists in Yellowstone. The last bison video is the most ironic.

---

The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/2009 09:39PM by Frank Furter.

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Frank Furter
The following link is all old stuff that has probably been posted here before, but it is on topic:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/safetyvideos.htm

There are three homemade videos of bison and elk vs tourists in Yellowstone. The last bison video is the most ironic.

Those are great, Frank - thanks for the "rememorandum" ;-)