The tourist season is just getting underway with roads at Yellowstone National Park opening to regular summer traffic. But a tourist has already demonstrated what NOT to do when you see a bison. The Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone posted a video of the man standing a few feet away from a bison grazing near a restaurant. The man holds his phone up and takes a video of the extremely large animal. Fortunately for that man, the bison chose to ignore him.
You may remember last year two people were seriously injured when they were gored by bison at US National Parks. Both people survived but suffered serious abdominal injuries.
Around 5,400 bison were counted at Yellowstone in 2021, and they can be seen year-round in the Hayden and Lamar valleys. In the winter, they can also be spotted seeking warmth in the park’s hydrothermal areas. and along the Madison River. Blacktail Deer Plateau, Tower, and the Gardiner Basin.
Males (known as bulls) can weigh up to 2,000lb, and females (also called cows) can weigh as much as 1,000lb. They can move at speeds up to 30mph and are surprisingly agile for their size, so it’s wise to give them plenty of space.
The National Park Service recommends staying at least 25 yards (23 meters) away at all times and using a long camera lens or binoculars to appreciate the animals from a safe distance.
