Yellowstone Visitor Gored by Bison in First Wildlife Attack of 2025 Summer Season

Vehicles block the entrance to Yellowstone National Park, a major tourist attraction now closed due to the historic floodwaters, June 15, 2022, in Gardiner, Mont.

A 47-year-old man from Cape Coral, Florida, was gored by a bison in Yellowstone National Park, marking the first bison-related injury of the 2025 season just weeks into the park’s busy summer period. The incident occurred Sunday near Lake Village, a popular area featuring cabins, a lodge, and campsites along the scenic shore of Yellowstone Lake.

According to a statement released Wednesday by park officials, the man sustained only minor injuries and was fortunate to survive what could have been a deadly encounter. Specific details about the circumstances of the goring were not released, but the National Park Service reiterated its longstanding warning: do not approach wildlife.

Bison are known to become aggressive when humans invade their space, and Yellowstone's bison have injured more people than any other animal in the park. Visitors are legally required to stay at least 25 yards away from bison and other large herbivores, and 100 yards from predators like bears and wolves.

Despite their seemingly docile demeanor, bison can sprint at speeds up to 35 mph (56 kph), far faster than the average human. The animals can weigh up to 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms) and stand as tall as 6 feet (2 meters), making close encounters especially dangerous.

This latest incident follows a string of similar attacks in recent years. In 2023, an 83-year-old woman from South Carolina was seriously injured in a bison goring. That same year, another visitor from Arizona was also significantly injured. In 2022, two additional goring incidents were recorded.

Visitors have even been known to pick up baby bison, mistakenly believing the calves are abandoned. Such interference can lead to the young animal being rejected by its herd — and euthanized by park staff — while also endangering the visitor.

Yellowstone, which welcomed approximately 4.7 million visitors in 2024, has seen an increase in early-season tourism activity, with roads being cleared of snow since late April. The goring occurred just days after a tragic tour bus crash in nearby Idaho that killed seven people.

Park officials continue to emphasize that wildlife safety begins with distance, patience, and respect for the animals' natural behavior.