A Minnesota woman visiting the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota was transported to a hospital after sustaining severe injuries as a result of a bison encounter.
A Minnesota woman visiting the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota was critically injured by a bison, officials said.
National Park Service (NPS) staff said that the incident took place at the Painted Canyon Trailhead on Saturday.
Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and treated the woman before she was taken to a nearby hospital for further care, NPS said. She was finally transported to a hospital in Fargo and was last known to be in serious but stable condition.
Park officials say that the Minnesotan woman sustained severe injuries to her abdomen and foot as a result of the bison encounter.
The details surrounding the incident are not currently known but the investigation is ongoing.
“Park staff would like to remind visitors that bison are large, powerful, and wild. They can turn quickly and can easily outrun humans,” NPS said. “Bulls can be aggressive during the rutting season, mid-July through August.”
Park officials caution that bison can become more easily agitated around this time, shown by the several attacks over the past two months. Just a few days after the Minnesotan woman was attacked, a woman was gored by a bison while visiting Yellowstone National Park, NPS said in a news release.
A 47-year-old woman from Arizona was hiking with another person along Lake Yellowstone on Monday when they noticed two bison, NPS said. The pair turned to walk away from the giant animals but one of the bison charged and gored the woman.
The Arizona woman sustained critical injuries to her chest and abdomen and was transported to a medical center for treatment, the release said.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing and no information was given about the woman's current condition, according to NPS.
Park officials advise that visitors “stay more than 25 yards (23 m) away from all large animals - bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes - and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves.”
