In July, a young girl and a teenager were attacked by bison while visiting national parks. The girl, 9, was thrown into the air when a bull bison charged a group of 50 tourists at Yellowstone National Park. Just a few days later a 17-year-old boy walked in between two bull bison at Theodore Roosevelt National Park that had previously been fighting.
According to a statement, one of the bulls charged at the teen, gored his leg, and tossed him several feet in the air.
Despite the recent attacks, wildlife officials’ warnings, and park regulations, which state visitors are required to remain 25 yards away from bison, tourists are still getting dangerously close to the powerful, wild animals.
Recently, an alarming video has surfaced of a brazen tourist petting a bison at Yellowstone. The video shows a crowd of visitors standing uncomfortably close and taking photos of the bison, but no one approaches it.
Someone can be heard telling the man, who illegally touched the wild animal, to leave it alone, but the tourist paid no attention.
The man walked right up to the bison, leaned over the boardwalk’s railing, and pet the animal. He attempted to touch the animal a second time, but the bison backed up, as did the man.
In a statement, Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said that the “illegal act” was currently under investigation.
“The individual who recently was captured on video touching a wild bison along a park boardwalk showed an incredible lack of judgment and common sense,” Cam said. “Not only did he put himself and others at risk, he violated regulations designed to keep these animals wild. We expect better from our visitors.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stPVjAIcNvk
Park regulations state that visitors must remain at least 25 yards from bison, elk, and feral horses.
According to Billings Gazette, a total of eight people have been injured by bison at Yellowstone in the past four years.
When will people learn?! These are WILD animals. We need to respect them. They are not pets.
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