Recently, another incident of a tourist being attacked by a bison occurred at Yellowstone National Park in the United States. A 65-year-old visitor was filming a bison when suddenly he was charged by the animal, launching him approximately 8 feet (about 2.4 meters) into the air, causing serious injuries that required medical attention. The whole ordeal was captured by other visitors. The park authorities once again reminded visitors to maintain a safe distance from large wild animals to avoid unexpected dangers.
The park management stated that the injured man is Carl Isom-McDaniel, who was attacked by a male bison at a campground last Friday, July 10. The authorities mentioned that male bisons can weigh up to 2000 pounds (about 907 kilograms), run three times faster than humans, and exhibit unpredictable behavior. Yellowstone Park has seen more incidents of visitor injuries caused by bisons compared to other animals.
Yellowstone Park requires visitors to maintain a distance of at least 25 yards (about 23 meters) when observing animals such as bisons, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and wolves; and recommends a distance of at least 100 yards (about 91 meters) if encountering bears, wolves, and mountain lions.
Just a few weeks before this incident, a 12-year-old child was injured by a bison at Yellowstone Park. At that time, officials did not disclose many details but have initiated an investigation.
Video footage shows Isom-McDaniel standing with his grandson about 100 yards away from the bison lying down, taking photos with his phone. The bison suddenly charged towards him, chasing him through trees as he tried to dodge, eventually colliding with his horns, sending him flying into the air before crashing to the ground.
The process of the bison charging towards McDaniel was captured by professional photographer Mike MacLeod, who happened to be at the campground at that time. He told CBS that in the video, it can be seen that the grandfather and grandson were walking along the outer road of the campsite; when the bison rose, the grandfather immediately realized the situation was dire and signaled to “get away quickly.”
MacLeod said that as the two of them ran for cover behind a tree, the bison continued to pursue the man, eventually launching him into the air, with him landing beside the bison. At that moment, MacLeod stopped filming and helped to drive the bison away: “I ran towards the bison, shouting and trying to raise the camera high. Several other men joined us and we successfully chased the bison away.”
Isom-McDaniel, the man struck by the bison, is currently recovering after undergoing surgery. He took to Facebook to reassure everyone, stating: “Thank you, I’m okay.” along with a thumbs up emoji.
This article was referenced from the report by Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS).