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Idaho woman butted, ‘tossed off a trail’ by bison at Yellowstone National Park

Posted at 2:57 PM, May 03, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-03 16:57:46-04

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — A 72-year-old woman from Boise, Idaho was injured by a bison in the Old Faithful area of Yellowstone National Park Tuesday.

According to Yellowstone National Park, 72-year-old Virginia Junk of Boise was butted in the thigh, pushed and then “tossed off a trail by a bison” in the area near Old Faithful.

The park says that Junk did not see the animal when she came around a bend in the trail and wasn’t able to get out of the way before the animal “dropped its head and pushed her off the trail.”

Junk suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg, Idaho.

The park says no citations were issued and that this is the first incident of a bison injuring a visitor in the park in 2018. There was one such incident in 2017 and five in 2015.

The park states: “Animals in Yellowstone are wild and unpredictable, no matter how calm they appear to be. When an animal is near a trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space. Always stay at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards (23 m) 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.”

You can read more about park safety by clicking here.