'I don't think that's wise': Video captures herd of bison charging tourists in Yellowstone
If you needed a reminder as to why you should avoid approaching giant wild animals while enjoying the great outdoors, a recent video out of Yellowstone National Park may jog your memory.
A video taken by Adella Gonzalez on Wednesday captured the moment tourists at Yellowstone learned this lesson the hard way when they found out just how fast wild bison can run.
Gonzalez told newswire service Storyful that she was on vacation at the park with her family when she noticed a group of bison ambling near a walkway. Keeping a safe distance, Gonzalez used her phone camera to zoom in and capture the herd, which she said was being approached by some brave tourists.
“We noticed tourists getting very close to the bison," she told Storyful.
A group of roughly eight bison can be seen shambling across a pathway in the video, walking past a man who appears to be sitting very still on a bench.
As the bison continue to take their leisurely walk across the path and back into the grass, another group of people can be seen deciding to get closer and cross mere feet in front of the herd.
“I don’t think that’s wise,” a woman can be heard saying before the bison begin to seemingly feel a bit claustrophobic, moving to charge at the group.
"The pack of bison began to get agitated and started running,” Gonzalez told Storyful.
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Sure enough, the bison in the video pick up the pace and begin charging at the tourists, who quickly notice and begin to flee. The bison can be seen giving chase as the group hightails it out of their way.
“Oh my heavens…Oh no! Don’t run! Holy cats! Oh my god! They’ve got the zoomie zooms!” a woman in the background says as she watches the pursuit.
Luckily for the visitors, they were able to get out of the way in time, allowing the bison to continue running their intended path unfettered.
"I hope they're OK," says the voice behind the camera.
Luckily everyone was OK, according to Gonzalez, who reported no injuries as a result of the encounter.
Do not approach the animals, says National Park Service
Like any other wildlife living in the parks, the National Park Service advises tourists never to approach bison and to watch the protected animals from a distance.
According to the organization, bison are the largest land mammals in North America, with males weighing up to 2,000 pounds and females about 1,000 pounds. They are also agile and can run up to 35 miles per hour - "faster than you," points out NPS.
"Seemingly docile, mammals such as bison and elk account for most of the wildlife-human encounters. Visitors and wildlife can get injured - sometimes these encounters are deadly," advises NPS. "Protect these wild animals and avoid hazardous encounters by keeping your distance. For their safety and yours, stay at least 25 yards from all wildlife."
To drive the point home, the NPS webpage dedicated to Yellowstone features several videos of bison encounters gone wrong - one such clip shows a "bison goring at West Thumb" in which a group of tourists surrounding a bison gets a scare when the animal uses its powerful horns and head to launch a man feet into the air amid a chorus of screams.
"While bison may seem as harmless and slow, they can be very dangerous and fast. This video shows what can happen when you approach too closely," says the caption.