A trip to Yellowstone Park should be on everyone's bucket list. The range of natural beauty and wildlife is often breathtaking. However, attending the park comes with a certain level of risk due to the size of the animals that wander freely.
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Unfortunately, we were recently reminded of those risks as a tourist was attacked by a raging bison. In footage that has now been widely circulated online, you can see the grandfather and his grandson taking pictures of the bison from what seems like a safe distance.
According to The Sun, the family members were approximately 300 feet away from the animal. They stopped to take some photographs but were certainly not making enough noise to startle the animal.
Yet, as the duo began to walk away from the area, a truck drove by. It was at that moment that the bison began to show signs of agitation. It quickly charges after the grandfather and grandson, before chasing the elderly man around a path of bushes and trees.
At one point, the bison appears to become distracted by a tree, thrashing it with its powerful head. Unfortunately for the man in question, the bison quickly became bored with the tree and began chasing him again. Once the bison caught up with the man, it launched him roughly eight feet into the air before standing over him.
The grandfather reportedly suffered serious injuries and remains in the hospital in critical condition.
Eyewitness Provides Statement After Yellowstone Bison Attack
When speaking with Cowboy State Daily, Mike MacLeod, an onlooker during the incident, provided a statement.
"I was just trying to get some dramatic footage of that bison having a fit," he said. "It's changed my idea of what to expect from these guys at this time of year, because I would not have predicted that happening... He made a perfect flip and landed on his side. The bison was at least 6ft tall and (the victim) was several feet above him."
According to MacLeod, the bison caught the grandfather on his left hip using its horn before launching him in the air.
Currently, there have been no updates as to the man's condition. We can only hope that he makes a full recovery.
