A 70-year-old woman has tragically died after being attacked by a bison. As reported by People, she was hiking the Grace Coolidge Trail with her husband in Custer Park, South Dakota.
The tragic incident happened on Monday, May 18. According to local outlets, they had found themselves behind a group of bull bison. They had taken the proper provisions, staying around 500 yards from the animals and waiting for them to be out of sight before they continued.
But, as they continued, they ended up coming upon another group of bison—this time much closer, at 50 yards.
And that's when tragedy struck—one bison started charging toward them. The bison threw the woman, who has not been identified, into the air. She later ended up dying from her injuries.
In a statement, Nick Harrington, a spokesperson for the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, explained that they have "moved the bison from the area and are actively monitoring the animal's behavior to ensure public safety and prevent future incidents."
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This Is the Second Bison Attack at the Park This Month
In a shocking turn of events, this isn't the first bison attack. While these attacks are rare, this is the second incident in a matter of weeks.
According to the Pierre Capital Journal, there was a similar incident on May 1. A 22-year-old hiker was "struck by the buffalo" in Custer State Park, according to the department spokesperson.
However, luckily, the woman's injuries were not life-threatening. Harrington explained that "the hiker was struck by the buffalo on the back of her legs and was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries."
The spokesperson added that the nature of bison as wild animals means they should be left alone where possible. "Visitors are reminded to keep their distance from all wild animals... And safely enjoy both the trails and wildlife within the park."
The spread of bison to areas of the park that visitors may frequent is apparently due to dry conditions. This has caused a lack of grass, so bison have had to spread further out to graze.
