After a tourist was gored by a bison Monday in Yellowstone National Park, visitors were warned that the rut is underway and the animals “can become agitated more quickly.”
To illustrate what an agitated bison looks like, and why warnings should be heeded, we’ve reposted footage shared by the park in August 2020, showing a bison battle on a highway.
Imagine the footage with sound as the dominant bison plows into his rival at full sprint, lifting and shoving him 30 feet off the road.
Yellowstone’s warning at the time:
“Bison mating season is still going on in the park. Male bison are particularly aggressive right now, though all bison and other wildlife can be dangerous.”
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One of the top comments: “My God in heaven! I’ve never seen anything like that before! And to think that back in ’80 I used to creep up close and try to herd them away from my lane with my car when I was in a bison jam! I feel blessed to be alive!”
The bison rut runs from mid-July through much of August.
Bison are the largest land mammals in North America and male bison can weigh 2,000 pounds. Bison can run 35 mph and, as the footage demonstrates, they’re remarkably agile.
The 47-year-old woman who was gored Monday suffered “significant injuries to her chest and abdomen,” the park stated in a news release.
Tourists are cautioned to remain at least 25 yards from bison and, the park said of the rut, “Use extra caution and give them additional space during this time.”
