A 47 year-old Arizona woman was recently gored by a bison in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
According to a press release given by the park, the woman was walking alongside her friend near the Lake Lodge Cabins when they saw two bison.
Despite their attempts to walk away, one of the bison charged and attacked the woman.
What Became of the Woman Who Was Attacked by a Bison?
The woman sustained significant injuries to her chest and abdomen, so much so that a helicopter had to take her to a hospital in Idaho.
According to the above-mentioned press release, “It is unknown how close the individuals were to the bison when it charged… This incident remains under investigation.”
In the summer of 2022, the National Park Service estimated that there were about 5,900 bison living in Yellowstone National Park, where they have resided since prehistoric times, though they almost went extinct in the 20th century.
It is advised that Yellowstone visitors stay at least 25 yards away from bison, as they become easily agitated during their mating season (mid-July through mid-August).
Despite being able to weigh as many as 2,000 pounds, they can run three times faster than humans, making them particularly dangerous.
Others Gored by Bison
A similar incident also occurred in Yellowstone about a year ago. A 71-year-old Pennsylvania woman was gored by a bison after she and her daughter inadvertently approached the animal as they were returning to their vehicle.
She sustained non-life-threatening injuries. This occurred only a day after a 34 year-old man from Colorado was also gored by a bison at Yellowstone.
According to the park, bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than have any other animal.
How Did Bison Almost Go Extinct?
Despite the bison’s aggressiveness, they are a staple of the United States, even being dubbed the National Mammal. So how did their near-extinction come about?
According to the Environment and Society Portal, “In an increasingly consumerist society during the 19th century, however, bison were hunted to the brink of extinction… Commodities, mainly bison hides for jackets and leather, were extremely popular, profitable and fashionable back in the eastern regions of the United States. By 1902, fewer than 100 wild buffaloes roamed the Great Plains.”
In response, the American Bison Society was founded in 1905, which fought to pass legislation that would preserve the species. There are thought to be around 30,000 wild American bison today.
