Tourist Severely Injured After Bison Tosses Him in Yellowstone National Park

A routine evening visit to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming turned terrifying last Friday when a tourist was seriously injured after being attacked and thrown about 2.5 meters into the air by a large bison. The incident occurred at the Bridge Bay camping area and was captured on video, gaining millions of views on social media.

The footage was recorded by Mike McCloud, a professional photographer and former U.S. Army combat photographer. McCloud described the bison as agitated and aggressive, initially charging at a group of children who managed to escape safely. Shortly after, another tourist and his grandson, unaware of the bison's unusual behavior, were nearby. Despite following safety guidelines by keeping about 100 meters away and hiding behind trees, a passing white pickup truck startled the bison, causing it to charge at them.

The grandson escaped just in time, but the grandfather was struck by the bison's left horn and thrown into the air, landing on his side. McCloud noted the bison stood about 1.8 meters tall and the man was thrown several meters above it. After the attack, the bison stood over the injured man, prompting McCloud and other tourists to intervene by shouting and approaching the animal, which then retreated.

Park medical teams quickly arrived and provided first aid to the man, who suffered severe pelvic and leg injuries. The grandson, distressed, asked McCloud to review the video to ensure his grandfather had not provoked the attack. McCloud confirmed they had maintained a safe distance and did nothing to provoke the bison, which appeared to be seeking a confrontation. McCloud expressed surprise at the bison's choice to target the two, noting many others were closer to the animal at the time.