Bison tosses 72-year-old woman off trail in Yellowstone
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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Watch out for bison. Apparently, they don’t want you on Yellowstone National Park trails.
Park rangers report that on Monday, Virginia Junk, 72, of Boise was walking the trails around the Old Faithful area when the bison decided it didn’t want her there. It lowered its head, butted her in the thigh and tossed her off the trail, according to a park news release.
Rangers said Junk didn’t see the bison when she walked around a bend in the trail. By the time the bison was visible Junk wasn’t able to move out of the way.
Park Rangers treated Junk’s minor injuries before she was transported by ambulance to Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg.
EastIdahoNews.com is working to get more information on the woman’s condition.
No citations were given.
This is the first time a bison has injured a park visitor in 2018. There was one incident in 2017 and five in 2015.
“When an animal is near a trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space,” rangers said in the news release. “Always stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards away from all other animals, including bison and elk. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity.”