Bison gores Florida man at Yellowstone National Park after he got too close to powerful animal

A bison gored a 47-year-old Florida man in Yellowstone National Park on Sunday, marking the park’s first bison attack of 2025

A Florida man was injured Sunday after he was gored by a bison in Yellowstone National Park.

The 47-year-old visitor from Cape Coral reportedly got too close to the large, wild animal, prompting the bison to charge, according to the National Park Service.

The man sustained minor injuries and received immediate medical treatment from emergency personnel at the scene.

The incident, which is under investigation, happened around 3:15 p.m. in the Lake Village area of the park.

This marks the first reported bison-related injury in Yellowstone of 2025.

“Bison will defend their space when threatened and have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal,” NPS reminded visitors in a news release about the incident. “They are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.”

For the first time this year a bison at Yellowstone National Park gored a man (Getty Images)

Officials at Yellowstone, home to between 3,500 to 6,000 bison, urge visitors to keep a safe distance of at least 25 yards from the powerful animals, which can run up to 35 miles per hour and weigh up to 2,000 pounds.

Similar encounters were reported twice in 2024 and once in 2023, highlighting the ongoing need for visitors to know and follow the rules before exploring what the park has to offer.

Last June, an 83-year-old woman from Greenville, South Carolina suffered serious injuries after being gored by a bison who was “defending its space” near the Storm Point Trail at Yellowstone Lake, officials reported.

Park officials said the animal reportedly threw the woman about a foot into the air with its horns. She was airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center after initial treatment by park responders.

Yellowstone park officials say the 47-year-old Florida man came too close to the bison on Sunday, prompting the animal to charge. (AFP via Getty Images)

The second bison attack of 2024 occurred in April when Clarence Yoder, 40, of Idaho allegedly kicked a bison and was attacked in response. Yoder was charged with being under the influence of alcohol, disorderly conduct, and disturbing wildlife.

In July 2023, a 47-year-old woman sustained severe chest and abdominal injuries from a bison attack at Yellowstone.