For the second time in less than a week, a visitor at one of the U.S. National Parks was injured in a bison attack, the park service said.
A Minnesota woman visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota was hospitalized in stable condition after she was severely injured by a bison at Painted Canyon Trailhead late Saturday morning, according to a statement the National Park Service released Tuesday.
The news came one day after a 47-year-old Phoenix woman was attacked by a bison at Yellowstone National Park. The woman was walking with another person when they encountered two bison. As they turned to walk away from the animal, one of the bison charged at her, causing severe injuries to her chest and stomach, the park said.
Medical personnel and park officials treated the woman on the scene in North Dakota until she could be picked up by an ambulance.
The woman was transported to a local hospital a short time later, where she is recovering. She experienced severe injuries to her stomach and foot.
Park officials are still investigating the cause of the attack.
Bison attack:Woman, 47, hospitalized after being gored by bison in Yellowstone National Park
Some Bison facts to keep in mind during your visit
Here is some information to keep in mind if you encounter a bison at National Park this summer, according to Yellowstone National Park.
- Bisons are largest land mammal in North America. Bulls (male) weigh up to 2,000 pounds and cows (females) weigh about 1,000 pounds
- Bisons can run up to 35 miles per hour
- A bison’s diet primarily consists of grasses and sedges
- Wolves and grizzly bears can kill adult bison, but predation has little effect on the bison population
A bison related reminder from the National Park Service
This was the second bison-related incident in a national park since 2022, when two people were gored by a bison at Yellowstone. In May 2022, an Ohio woman was tossed 10 feet into the air and suffered a puncture wound and other injuries. Then a month later, a Colorado man was gored by a bison and suffered an arm-related injury.
Visitors should proceed with caution around bison because they are large, powerful, and wild. They can turn quickly and outrun humans, according to the National Park Service.
Its especially important to keep a distance around this time of year because bulls can be aggressive during mating season, which occurs mid-July through August.
Park regulations require that visitors stay at least 25 yards away from large animals like bison, elk, deer, pronghorn, and horses.
To avoid interacting with a wild animal at a close distance, turn around and go the other way.
