The child was attacked by a bison near the Mud Volcano area of Yellowstone National Park on Friday, June 26
Credit: Getty Images
NEED TO KNOW
- A 12-year-old child was rushed to the hospital after they were attacked by a bison in Yellowstone National Park on Friday, June 26
- “If wildlife approach you, move away to maintain the required distance,” park officials warned visitors, noting that bison “have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal”
- In 2025, park officials reported two separate bison attacks after visitors got too close to the animals
A 12-year-old child was attacked by a bison while visiting Yellowstone National Park.
On Friday, June 26, the child was near the Mud Volcano area, just north of Fishing Bridge, when they were attacked by a bison at approximately 9:15 a.m., according to a news release from the National Park Service (NPS).
Following the incident, emergency medical personnel transported the child to a nearby hospital.
While no further details on the encounter were released, the incident remains under investigation.
Credit: Getty Images
Noting that bison “have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal,” park officials warned visitors to be cautious of the largest land mammals in North America, which can grow to weigh more than 2,200 pounds.
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“They are unpredictable, can run three times faster than humans and will defend their space when threatened,” they wrote of the creatures. “If wildlife approach you, move away to maintain the required distance. Never approach, touch, feed or crowd wildlife, even if an animal appears calm.”
Park officials also emphasized that wild animals often become aggressive when people “do not respect their space.”
“Remember, animals in Yellowstone are wild and can be dangerous,” the news release read. “Visitors are responsible for staying at least 25 yards away from all large animals, including bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose and coyotes, and at least 100 yards away from bears, wolves and cougars.”
Credit: Jon G. Fuller/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty
Last year, two separate bison attacks were reported in Yellowstone National Park after visitors allegedly got too close to the animals.
In May, a 47-year-old man was gored by a bison after he approached it too closely in the Lake Village area of the park. The man, who was from Cape Coral, Fla., was treated by emergency medical personnel.
One month later, a visitor to Yellowstone's Old Faithful was attacked and “sustained minor injuries” after a bison was approached by “a large group of visitors.” The man, a 30-year-old from Randolph, N.J., was the only person in the group to sustain injuries.
“The animals in Yellowstone are wild and dangerous, no matter how docile they may appear to be,” park officials warn in their tips for staying safe in the park. “If an animal moves closer to you, back away to maintain a safe distance. It's illegal to willfully remain near or approach wildlife, including birds, within any distance that disturbs or displaces the animal.”
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