Woman Plays Dead After Tripping While Running From Charging Bison

A woman in the US played dead after she tripped while running away from a charging bison. You can watch footage from the scene below:

In the video - recorded at Nez Perce Creek at Yellowstone National Park in Montana - a man and a woman can be seen running from a bison. After the woman falls, she stays still on the ground as the bison comes to a halt beside her.

The eye witness who sent the footage into KBZK news station said the woman 'is a Montana local so she knew to play dead in that situation'. They added that she escaped the scene 'without a scratch'.

The issue of humans and bison crossing paths at Yellowstone National Park has been a problem for years. Bison are incredibly powerful creatures and males can weigh up to 2000lbs (907kg). On top of this, they can also reach speeds of 40mph.

As such, they pose a great threat to people, and in 2015, Yellowstone National Park began issuing warning pamphlets to visitors after five people were gored by the animals in the space of three months.

Speaking at the time, Yellowstone spokesperson Amy Bartlett said: "I just don't think people realise how fast bison move. They're big animals, but they move quickly. And so when a bison becomes agitated, it doesn't take him long to cover that short distance.

"A ranger can't be at every bison all the time, so people need to keep that common sense."

PA

Last month, a 72-year-old woman was gored by a bison at the park after she got too close while taking photographs. She sustained multiple gore wounds and was flown by helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

Yellowstone's Senior Bison Biologist Chris Geremia said: "The series of events that led to the goring suggest the bison was threatened by being repeatedly approached to within 10 feet.

"Bison are wild animals that respond to threats by displaying aggressive behaviours like pawing the ground, snorting, bobbing their head, bellowing, and raising their tail. If that doesn't make the threat (in this instance it was a person) move away, a threatened bison may charge.

"To be safe around bison, stay at least 25 yards away, move away if they approach, and run away or find cover if they charge."

Last year, a nine-year-old girl was hospitalised after she was gored by a bison at the park.

The girl was standing quite close to the bison with a group of others in the Old Faithful Geyser area of the national park when she was struck and catapulted into the air.

According to a National Parks Service statement, the group which reportedly consisted of around 50 to 60 people, stood close to the beast for around 20 minutes, 'causing the bison to charge'.

So UK readers, when the creatures are introduced to the country for the first time in 6,000 years, make sure you give them plenty of space.

Topics: US News, Animals

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey