A viral video that shows a bison charging and throwing a 9-year-old Florida girl at Yellowstone National Park after her family stood way too close reminds us – again – that dumb people and wild animals just don’t mix well. Degrees in Biology and Animal Psychology are not required to visit Yellowstone. Common sense, however, should be our constant companion.
The family in this viral video was part of a group of about 50 people near Observation Pointe Trail in the Old Faithful Geyser area. For about 15 to 20 minutes, this large group stood 5 to 10 feet away from this bison. This is absurdly close to stand next to a wild animal that can weigh up to a ton and run at speeds of 30 miles per hour. A child can not be expected to outrun an animal like this from just 5 to 10 feet away.
It’s not hard to imagine things turning dangerous very quickly at that short of a distance and that’s exactly what happened. The park recommends distancing yourself at least 75 feet from bison.
Parents Fled As Bison Charged Girl
When the bison began to charge, the girl’s parents took off, leaving the child right in the line of fire of the angry beast. The girl was violently thrown in the air. She flipped mid-air, but thankfully didn’t land on her head. This could have easily been a fatal family mistake had she landed differently or if the animal stomped on her. The injured girl was taken to Old Faithful Clinic for treatment. She was treated and released.
Video of this terrifying encounter is can be seen below. As the video details, this is not uncommon. Many others don’t respect the personal space of the animals at Yellowstone.
Yellowstone is still investigating the incident and no citations have been issued at this time. Holding people accountable for their actions may cause others to take notice and respect the wildlife. These are wild animals and anything can happen when they are provoked by stupid people who break the rules in today’s selfie culture.
Not Yellowstone’s First Bison Charge
This is not an isolated incident. Last year, a man got out of his car at Yellowstone to taunt a bison. This is a bit of a theme with some visitors at the National Park. Not only is it illegal, but it is incredibly dumb. Nature will trump stupidity. Video of that is below.
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