Attacks by bison are a frequent occurrence in Yellowstone National Park — but they don’t usually involve children.
So it was a bit surprising to see that a 12-year-old child was attacked by a bison in the park on Friday morning, the National Park Service (NPS) said. Park officials were short on details about the incident, which received a three-sentence description on the NPS website on Friday.
“The incident occurred near Mud Volcano, just north of Fishing Bridge,” the NPS said. “The visitor sustained injuries, and emergency medical personnel transported them to a nearby hospital. The incident remains under investigation.”
The news release continued with the usual warnings about avoiding the park’s aggressive wildlife. All park visitors must stay at least 25 yards away from bison, elk, and moose, and 100 yards away from bears, wolves, and cougars, the NPS said.
The child’s health status, gender, and other information were not provided by the park service. Last week, The Washington Post reported that the Interior Department has directed park officials to be more selective in notifying the public about deaths or serious injuries in the park.
An Interior Department spokesperson confirmed the new rules to GearJunkie, but stated that the updated guidance “was developed to create a more consistent approach to incident communications.”
Bison in Yellowstone
It’s not uncommon for bison to attack visitors to Yellowstone National Park, though this usually occurs when tourists get too close, often to take a photo. Though Yellowstone has many dangerous animals, bison have injured more people than any other animal at the park.
The park saw two incidents last year:
- June 2025: On June 10, a 30-year-old man from Randolph, New Jersey, was gored by a bison after a large group of visitors approached it too closely.
- May 2025: A 47-year-old Florida man visiting Yellowstone National Park was also gored by a bison after getting too close to the animal.
The worst season in recent history was 2015, when five people were injured by these large, aggressive animals.
On average, however, there are only one or two such incidents each year at the national park. According to a 2019 report from Utah State University (USU), 56 park visitors were injured by bison between 1978 and 1992, and two were killed. Between 2000 and 2015, 25 people were injured by bison.
“If wildlife approach you, move away to maintain the required distance,” park officials said Friday in the news release. “Never approach, touch, feed or crowd wildlife, even if an animal appears calm.”
Learn more about safety while visiting Yellowstone on the park website.
