A visit to Yellowstone National Park took a terrifying turn when a child was chased by a bison after several tourists moved dangerously close to the massive animal.
Video captured by Brittany Peteler shows a woman walking past the bison as it slowly makes its way toward a wooden boardwalk. She manages to pass without incident, drawing visible relief from nearby visitors.
But seconds later, another group, including multiple children, begins moving directly toward the animal, even as witnesses warn them about the growing danger.
When the group gets too close, one child breaks into a run. The bison immediately follows, chasing the youngster for several alarming moments before the child gets away unharmed.
Yellowstone officials have long cautioned visitors that bison pose a serious risk and have injured more people in the park than any other wild animal.
“Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal,” officials said.
“They are unpredictable, can run three times faster than humans and will defend their space when threatened,” the National Park Service said.
“Wild animals can be aggressive when people do not respect their space. Visitors are responsible for staying at least 25 yards away from all large animals, including bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose and coyotes.”
The latest scare is just one in a string of dangerous run-ins between visitors and bison that have rattled Yellowstone National Park this summer.
Just last month, an oblivious fisherman narrowly avoided disaster after a massive bison quietly crept up behind him as he cast his line into a stream.
Video showed the animal approaching from only a short distance away before the man’s wife, sitting in a nearby vehicle, repeatedly honked the horn to get his attention. He turned, spotted the hulking animal and calmly walked away without incident.
Days earlier, another viral video captured a bison slamming into an SUV on a park road hard enough to puncture one of the vehicle’s tires.
The startled driver was forced to pull over after the animal rammed the side of the vehicle while traffic crawled through the park.
The most serious incident came in July, when 65-year-old Carl Isom-McDaniel of Washington suffered multiple broken bones after an agitated bull bison charged him near Yellowstone Lake and hurled him several feet into the air.
His grandson escaped unharmed, and fellow visitors rushed to distract the animal until emergency crews arrived.
Park officials have repeatedly reminded tourists that bison are wild animals capable of sprinting at speeds approaching 35 mph—roughly three times faster than humans—and can become aggressive without warning, particularly during the summer breeding season.
Visitors are required to remain at least 25 yards, or 75 feet, away from bison and other large wildlife, but videos circulating online continue to show tourists ignoring the rule by walking, stopping for photos or allowing children to get dangerously close.
The latest close call involving a child is another stark reminder that even a seemingly calm encounter can turn perilous in seconds.
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