A young Florida girl learned the hard way that while bison might appear docile, they can quickly charge you/NPS, Jacob W. Frank file
A 9-year-old Florida girl avoided serious injury when tossed into the air by a bison bull at Yellowstone National Park.
Park staff said the incident happened Monday afternoon after a group of roughly 50 visitors came within 5-10 feet of the bull near the Observation Point Trail not far from the Old Faithful Geyser. The bison tolerated the crowding for about 20 minutes before charging the onlookers and tossing the girl into the air, according to witnesses.
The girl's family, from Odessa, took her to the Old Faithful Lodge, where she received initial care from medical providers, and then was taken to the Old Faithful Clinic for a more thorough checkup before she was released.
Rangers were said to still be investigating the incident Tuesday.
Each year some visitors at Yellowstone approach bison too closely and are injured, some seriously, when charged. Yellowstone staff continually try to remind visitors that the park's wildlife can be dangerous and that they need to keep their distances. Park regulations say visitors should stay at least 25 yards away from bison, elk, bighorn sheep, moose, deer and coyotes, and at least 100 yards from wolves and bears.
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Comments
Does anyone else find it interesting that the parents are not close enough to the child to help her? Did the run off and leave her to fend for herself?
Some Visitors do not act like guests - they act like they are in charge and can do as they please. When people do not obey warnings, they should be immediately escorted out of the park! I realize that would be dofficult for staff but many of is would not want to see someone attacked or killed. So, please allow most visitors enjoy their visit without some know nothing animal trainer ruining this treasure for everyone!
At first look, I wondered why they would leave the video up showing the young girl's body flying into the air. Seeing it again online would surely aggravate her post traumatic stress. Then I realized that it may save hundreds of others experiencing the same or worst.
I pray the animals aren't harmed due to these people's stupidity...And am so grateful the little girl wasn't seriously injured due to her parents ignorance and running off leaving her behind...This could have ended badly due to these people not following the rules!!! I think they forget they are wild animals not tamed!!!
"Park regulations say visitors should stay at least 25 yards away from bison, elk, bighorn sheep, moose, deer and coyotes, and at least 100 yards from wolves and bears."
NPS: Technology is making distance measurement in feet a norm by announcing impending turns in feet. This can cause memory interference because a person conditioned to think of closer distances in feet might tend to recall distance incorrectly if presented in a different scale. For example, a person is informed to stay 25 yards away. Hours later, they'll remember the number 25, but yards reverts to the nomal mode of measurement - feet. So they stay a safe 25 feet away. And they will be wrong.
You might want to change the way you describe distance in feet to reflect user experience. 75 feet for bison/elk, and 300 feet for bears and wolves.
Hope the poor kid isn't so traumatized that she won't set foot in a National Park again.
I agree with comments about parents being to blame (someone joked that the parents were probably the two people shown running away in the video). I'll bet over 95% of parents do not take the blame for children's behavior despite being the ones who raised them. Too many parents want to be their children's pals instead of filling their own role as parents and disciplinarians.
I know I heard that Buff chuckling after that one.....lol.