An Ohio woman suffered injuries after a bison gored her in Yellowstone National Park on Monday. Park officials reported the tourist approached to within 10 feet of the animal, far closer than its prescribed 25-yard safe distance.
Yellowstone National Park reported a woman walking near Old Faithful geyser got too close to a female bison on May 30. In a statement, the park said a 25-year-old female from Grove City, Ohio, approached the bison to within 10 feet on Memorial Day.
As the woman neared the bison on the Black Sand Basin boardwalk, the animal reacted by goring her.
The incident, which the National Park Service (NPS) reported tossed the woman 10 feet in the air, required emergency measures. The woman sustained puncture wounds and “other injuries.” Park emergency medical providers transported her via ambulance to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.
Wildlife Safety in Yellowstone
Various news outlets reported the woman died Tuesday at an unknown location. Two other tourists also stood within 25 yards of the bison at the time, the park said. Those two emerged from the event unharmed.
“This is the first reported incident in 2022 of a visitor threatening a bison (getting too close to the animal) and the bison responding to the threat by goring the individual,” NPS noted in the official statement.
“Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild and can be dangerous when approached,” it continued. “When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space. Stay more than 25 yards (23 m) away from all large animals — bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity.”
The park also stated that bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal. It characterized the animals as “unpredictable” and noted that they can run three times faster than humans.
To learn more about how to safely interact with wildlife in Yellowstone, see the park’s safety page.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:20 Central Time to reflect that the woman’s health status remains unknown.
