News

Bison tosses 9-year-old girl in Yellowstone National Park

A 9-year-old girl was released from the hospital after she was tossed in the air by a bison in Yellowstone National Park earlier this week.

{mosads}

The girl was treated by park emergency medical personnel and released from the onsite clinic.

A clip of the incident quickly went viral when it was posted on social media.

On Monday, the young girl and her family approached the bison along with a group of approximately 50 people in the Old Faithful Geyser area of the park, according to the National Park Service.

The group was “within 5-10 feet of the bison for at least 20 minutes before eventually causing the bison to charge the group,” according to a Wednesday press release.

“Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild,” the park service warned, recommending visitors leave at least 25 yards between themselves and large animals such as bison.

Bison cause the most wildlife injuries in Yellowstone, according to The Washington Post. They can be aggressive and are fast. Male bison, like the one involved this week, can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and stand six feet tall.

The incident is under investigation and no citations have been issued so far.