Two tourists came dangerously close to being gored by bisons at Yellowstone National Park in shocking videos posted within the span of two weeks.
One video which was posted by TouronsOfYellowstone last Sunday and credited to Russ Bjorn on Instagram, shows a woman, who has not yet been identified, extending her hand in an attempt to touch the bison.
In a split second, the bison lunged forward, giving the impression that it is about to charge. The woman quickly retreated in a panic, stumbling over herself in the process. The frightened screams of the group can be heard in the background.
Another video posted Sunday shows a woman taking a selfie, just inches away from a massive bison which is trying to rest on the ground.
‘Sighted at Biscuit Basin. She was trying to pet it. It was insane. Like inches. Her arrogance was so infuriating. People were telling her to move away and she kept posing for like 10 minutes,’ reads the caption.
A woman came dangerously close to being gored by a bison while attempting to pet a bison at Yellowstone National Park
She fortunately walked away from the risky incident unscathed as the wild beast did not react.
The startling encounter, which was captured in a video and shared on Instagram, shows a group of people strolling along a designated path in the park, mere inches away from the massive bison.
The bison did not continue to pursue the woman who attempted to pet it, leaving the group alone and unharmed after the initial scare.
It is illegal to ‘willfully remaining, approaching, and photographing wildlife within 100 yards’ in Yellowstone.
Yellowstone National Park preserves the most important bison herd in the U.S., according to National Park Services (NPS). It is the only place in the country where the near-extinct animal have lived continuously since prehistoric times.
Yellowstone is home to a substantial bison population, ranging from 2,300 to 5,500. Around 5,900 bison were counted in the summer 2022.
The conservation of wild bison is one of the most complex of Yellowstone’s resource issues, according to NPS.
NPS makes it clear to visitors online that these animals can become extremely aggressive if they feel threatened or approached too closely.
Bison have caused more injuries in Yellowstone than any other animal. On average, one to two individuals are injured by bison in Yellowstone every year, according to Newsweek.
To mitigate potential risks, the National Park Service strictly enforces a regulation requiring all visitors to maintain a minimum distance of 25 yards from bison at all times.
These massive animals are the largest land-dwelling mammal in North America, and can weigh up to a staggering 2,000 pounds. They possess the strength to toss grown adults effortlessly ‘like rag dolls,’ as stated by the NPS.
DailyMail Online has contacted authorities and National Park Services for their official statement on the incident, and whether legal action will be taken against the woman.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of adhering to park guidelines and safety.
Just last week, rangers in Yellowstone National Park were forced to euthanize a bison calf after it was handled by a man who thought he was rescuing it from drowning.
A man was pictured moving a bison calf up from the bank of the Lamar River on May 20. It was later put down after its herd rejected it. Yellowstone National Park staff are now trying to identify the man
Pictured is an unrelated herd of bison stopping traffic in the Hayden Valley in September 2022
Park staff said they tried to reintroduce the animal to its herd but due to human contact the bison was rejected and abandoned, forcing them to kill it hours later.
Officials warned after last week’s incident that disregarding park regulations requiring guests to stay at least 25 yards away from bison, elk and deer and at least 100 yards from bears and wolves can result in fines.
NPS warns of the dangers posed by large wildlife: ‘Bison can run three times faster than humans can sprint and are unpredictable and dangerous.’
‘Visitors must give the animals enough space and alter their own behavior to avoid interacting with an animal in close proximity.’
‘Do not approach wildlife, no matter how tame or calm they appear. Always obey instructions from park staff on scene.’
In 2021, a 25-year-old Yellowstone tourist was jailed for four days after getting within yards of a grizzly bear and her cubs to take a photo.
In the summer of 2018, a man who was seen on video attempting to go head-to-head with a bison, harassing and taunting it at Yellowstone National Park was also arrested.
Sometimes the animal will attack unprompted.
Last summer, three people were gored by bison in a series of just four weeks at Yellowstone. A 71-year-old Pennsylvania woman was injured after the animal attacked her while she and her daughter were returning to their car at the trailhead.
In 2015 Yellowstone National Park officials issued a graphic pamphlet drawing of a man being gored by bison in a bid for tourists to avoid the creatures.
