One-ton bison attacks 9-year-old girl, tosses her 10ft in the air as terrified family runs for cover at Yellowstone National Park
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING: A 9-year-old child who was visiting the Yellowstone National Park was struck and thrown 10 feet into the air after a bison charged at her.
The terrifying moment was captured on camera and shows the little girl being flung high into the air after being struck by the beast.
The girl, who is from Odessa, Florida, was in a group of around 50 people who were standing near the bison for around 20 minutes in the Old Faithful Geyser area on Monday, July 22.
Yellowstone officials revealed in a statement that the bison was grazing before it started charging towards the girl and two adults.
The two adults notice the beast running towards them and can be seen running away leaving the child behind in the footage.
The bison then rams into the girl and she is sent flying into the air as bystanders watch in horror.
The victim has not been identified yet. She was taken to the Old Faithful Lodge by her family where she was treated by emergency personnel. She has since been released from the clinic.
The park shared that no citations were issued though officials are still investigating the incident.
The park sees many millions of visitors who come to see the wildlife including the famed the bison.
According to park rules, all visitors must give the animals enough space and requires them to stay at least 25 yards away from bison and elk.
The park also requires visitors to stay at least 100 yards from predators like wolves and bears.
"Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild. When an animal is near a trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity," the officials shared.
Last year, a Yellowstone bison had gored a woman after a crowd gathered within a few feet from it.