A woman has been left with serious injuries after being gored by a bison at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. According to a statement from the National Park Service (NPS) the attack happened on Saturday July 15, just two days before another woman was gored at Yellowstone National Park.
The incident happened at around 11am at the Painted Canyon Trailhead. The woman was treated for her injuries at the scene before being taken to nearby Dickinson for further care. She was then transported to a hospital in Fargo.
The woman is said to be in a serious but stable condition, having sustained injuries to her abdomen and foot. The NPS is currently investigating, and it's not known how close the woman was to the bison when she was attacked.
Don't pet the 'fluffy cows'
Each summer the National Park Service reminds visitors to keep their distance from wildlife, but this year there seems to have been a particular increase in the number of dangerously close encounters. Vacationers have been recorded taking selfies with bison, trying to pet them, and generally harassing them at parks throughout the US.
Bison generally prefer to avoid contact with people, but like all wild animals they can become aggressive and dangerous if provoked. The NPS explains that bison cause more injuries than any other animal at Yellowstone, including bears and snakes. Last summer three people were gored at the park within the space of a month, suffering serious injuries.
People visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park are warned to look out for the animals, which can run three times faster than a human and weigh up to 2,000lb.
"In Theodore Roosevelt National Park there is poison ivy, cactus, ticks, mosquitoes, spiders, scorpions, snakes (venomous and non-venomous), mountain lions, coyotes, badgers, porcupine, skunks, spiders, and a very fast very large animal known as the American bison," says the NPS in its advice to hikers.
"Be aware that bison often use the park’s backcountry trails. No one can predict what you will encounter while visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It is up to you to prepare and pre-plan in order to protect yourself."
For advice on how to keep yourself safe, see our guides how to avoid being gored by a bison and wildlife safety: eight tips for unexpected encounters.
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