Gored tourist may be charged for harassing bison in park

A tourist gored by a bison in America's Yellowstone National Park was facing criminal charges yesterday for harassment of protected wildlife. No action, however, was expected against the bison, which punctured the man's thigh and tossed him several feet into the air when he approached to take a photograph.

The tourist, 37-year-old Paul Jocelyn from Minnesota, was rushed to hospital by park rangers after the incident, which took place near the celebrated Old Faithful geyser on Saturday. He was subsequently released after treatment for his injuries.

Yellowstone takes a very dim view of anyone getting too close to its wildlife – partly because of a spate of bison goring incidents in the late 1980s. More than 40 people were hurt in 1987 alone, and since then there has been at least one goring per year.

According to witnesses, Mr Jocelyn came within 15ft of the bison that attacked him – 10ft closer than is permitted by the law. He and his party apparently startled the bison, which walked away after the goring to resume grazing.

His run-in came just two weeks after a similar incident involving a visitor from Texas who also faces criminal prosecution.