72-year-old woman gored by bison at Yellowstone after getting too close while shooting photos
Jun 30, 2020
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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According to a press release from the National Park Service, a 72-year-old unnamed woman from California has been gored by a bison at Yellowstone National Park. They say she got within 10ft of the animal “multiple times” in order to try to shoot a photo of it.
There is no news on the woman’s condition, but they say she sustained “multiple goring wounds”. After rangers provided immediate medical assistance, she was flown via helicopter to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Centre.
The series of events that led to the goring suggest the bison was threatened by being repeatedly approached to within 10 feet,” said Yellowstone’s Senior Bison Biologist Chris Geremia. “Bison are wild animals that respond to threats by displaying aggressive behaviors like pawing the ground, snorting, bobbing their head, bellowing, and raising their tail. If that doesn’t make the threat (in this instance it was a person) move away, a threatened bison may charge. To be safe around bison, stay at least 25 yards away, move away if they approach, and run away or find cover if they charge.
At the moment, the incident is under investigation and the National Park Service has no additional information they wish to share.
The park’s been open less than six weeks since it was closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s not the first incident since the park reopened, either. Only two days after the gates opened back up, another woman was injured by a Bison at the park.
So, remember your social distancing, folks. It’s not just for other people. The NPS recommends staying at least 25 yards (23 metres or 75 feet) away from large animals that can send you to the hospital (bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose and coyotes) and at least 100 yards (91 metres or 300ft) away from the ones that can kill you (like bears and wolves).
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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18 responses to “72-year-old woman gored by bison at Yellowstone after getting too close while shooting photos”
My son worked at YNP for 5 summers in a row while he was going through college. He’s got some stories to tell of some very uninformed visitors to the park.
I have been to Yellowstone several times. Aside from numerous warnings posted about not getting close to animals, there are leaflets handed out at entrances. Despite that, I have seen people trying to pet bison, getting much too close to a “fully equipped” male the size of a medium to small car, approaching and trying to get close to a female moose and her calf and other stupidities. I suggest that “uninformed” visitors are very often willfully so.
so an old lady is attacked by a wild animal and DIYPhotography makes a joke of it? Thats not cool.
Because the old lady made a stupid move, kinda like your stupid comment.
Kenny Mccall I am so moved, so touched by your reply, I will forever change the way I think and comment for the rest of my life! Thank you Kenny Mccall for this most educational moment in my life!
A national park isn’t a petting zoo, people.
That’s why I love donkey
yeah, bison are actually responsible for most of the “wildlife attacks” in the National parks –
my guess is that people look at the bison and think the animal is going to act like a domesticated cow, but they are wild animals …
Moral of the story…buy a longer lens.
Natural Selection…
Stupid is stupid does…
She should NOT have been there in the first place…
I hope they did not euthanize that amazing animal
I seen a small herd of this animals 35 years ago, and non of use in the group was any where 100m near the animals
She didnt have a Longer Lense?
In this day and age where you can get long range lenses, this was a very naive and selfish idea that ended badly.
Natural selection
Natural selection
Awe..hope the lady is okay ..not a good idea ..wild animals don’t care for selfies or age ..and hope her family gifts her with a better camera if this doesn’t traumatize her !
I am pretty sure this is how “thinning the herd” came to be a saying…….. Best to leave nature alone…….
I began to write something about how I’m glad the lady was not seriously hurt but erased it….
I am just F***ing tired of people for the sole purpose of “selfies or “the rules don’t apply to me”. So no, I’m not sorry at all. For the mind numb idiots that fall off cliffs, get attacked by animals getting too close, or walk off marked trains and ruin hot springs, F**k em! It’s just Darwinism. Not only is it continuing to be an issue, it makes it harder for us that follow the rules to make our art and see too often “photography not allowed”. Sorry but not sorry.