Tourist Injured by Charging Bison at Yellowstone National Park

Incident Overview

A tourist sustained serious injuries after being hurled into the air by a bull bison at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. This incident occurred on Friday at the Bridge Bay Campground, where the man, who has not been identified, was walking with his grandson when the bison charged at them, as reported by local sources. Footage captured during the event shows the man trying to evade the bison by running around a cluster of pine trees, only to be struck by the animal, which sent him flying approximately eight feet into the air.

Mike MacLeod, a photographer from Montana who witnessed the event and recorded part of it, mentioned that he was initially filming the bison while it was taking a dust bath. He expressed surprise at the bison's sudden aggression, stating, "I was just trying to get some dramatic footage of that bison having a fit. It's changed my idea of what to expect from these guys at this time of year, because I would not have predicted that happening."

Following the attack, the bison wandered through the campground and charged towards a group of children who were taking pictures from a safe distance. MacLeod recounted, "He started walking through the campground. He was coming up to this group of kids, who were taking pictures on their cellphones from a good distance away, and then the buffalo charged these kids." Concerned for the injured man’s safety, MacLeod intervened to divert the bison's attention. "I had to get the bison's attention. I was really afraid he was going to gore the guy on the ground, so I stopped videotaping and ran at the bison, yelled loud, and was trying to be as big and intimidating as possible," he explained.

Once the bison moved away, bystanders rushed to help the injured man while emergency services were alerted. MacLeod noted that the victim seemed to be in considerable pain, especially in his hips and the leg he landed on, although no visible external injuries were apparent. "One guy held his hand. Another guy pulled security on the outside to make sure that the bison didn't come back. A gal in a car was on the phone with 911, and another gal did a blood sweep, but we couldn't find any blood," he added. There has been no update on the man's condition. MacLeod suggested that the bison's aggressive behavior might be linked to the annual rutting season, which occurs from June to September, a time when male bison often become more aggressive as they compete for mates. "You can tell [the bison] was agitated, pissed off, and charging anything and everything," he remarked.