Man Injured by Bison in Yellowstone National Park
Reports from park officials in Yellowstone National Park indicate that a man who kicked a bison in the leg was subsequently injured by the bison, marking the first such incident involving a visitor and one of the park's iconic animals this year.
After being treated for minor injuries, the individual, identified as Clarence Yoder, 40, was arrested and jailed by park rangers, as officials stated on Monday.
On April 21, rangers received a report of a man allegedly harassing a bison herd and kicking one of the animals about seven miles inside the park's west entrance. The specifics of how the bison injured the man were not disclosed.
Yoder was apprehended in a vehicle driven by another individual in West Yellowstone, Montana, according to Yellowstone officials.
Charges against Yoder included being under the influence of alcohol, disorderly conduct, and approaching and disturbing wildlife. His companion, McKenna Bass, 37, was charged with driving under the influence, failing to yield to a police car, and disturbing wildlife.
Both men, hailing from Idaho Falls, Idaho, pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on April 22.
Bison, the largest land mammal in North America, can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and reach speeds of 40 mph. Despite their size, they are known to injure tourists who approach too closely.
Yellowstone officials are advising people to maintain a distance of at least 25 yards from all large wildlife in the park.
As the busy summer season begins, some Yellowstone facilities have started opening, with more to follow in June.
This incident marks the first reported case of a visitor being injured by a bison in 2024. The most recent incident occurred on July 17, 2023, when a 47-year-old woman was gored by a bison, sustaining serious injuries to her chest and abdomen.
In 2022, there were three reported incidents, one of which involved a woman getting within 10 feet of a bison, resulting in the animal goring her and throwing her 10 feet into the air. The 25-year-old woman from Grove City, Ohio, suffered a puncture wound and other injuries.
Yellowstone is the only location in the U.S. where bison have continuously existed since prehistoric times.
