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Bison chases child at Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park visitors had a close encounter with a bison, leading to a heart-stopping moment as the wild animal began chasing after a child. (Credit: Brittany Peteler via Storyful)
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. - A child narrowly avoided injury after a bison briefly gave chase during a close encounter at Yellowstone National Park, according to video recorded by a witness.
Child and bison encounter at Yellowstone
Big picture view:
Footage captured by Brittany Peteler shows a bison walking near a boardwalk as visitors pass by. One woman walks past the animal and safely reaches the other side.
The incident was captured on video by a witness, but no one was hurt. (Credit: Brittany Peteler via Storyful)
Shortly afterward, another group that included children continues walking in the direction of the bison. One of the children then begins to run, and the bison briefly chases after the child before the child reportedly reaches safety.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
Bison at Yellowstone
What you can do:
Bison are the largest land mammals in North America and can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and stand as tall as six feet. They are also capable of running up to 35 mph, faster than the men's world-record pace in the 100-meter dash.
Yellowstone National Park advises visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from bison and other large animals.
Previous Bison attacks
The backstory:
The park records an average of a couple of bison-related injuries each year. At least two people were injured in separate bison encounters in 2025.
The incident also follows another recent bison attack in the park.
On July 10, 65-year-old Carl McDaniel suffered multiple fractures after a bison charged him while he was walking with his grandson near Bridge Bay Campground, not far from Yellowstone Lake.
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"He wasn’t showing aggression or anything like that until it picked a target. That target happened to be me," McDaniel said in the video posted on Instagram.
McDaniel said the bison charged unexpectedly and moved much faster than he anticipated. His grandson was not injured.
According to Dr. Eric Lowe, an emergency physician at Bozeman Health Deaconess Medical Center, McDaniel suffered fractures in multiple areas. McDaniel later said the injuries occurred when he landed after being thrown by the animal.
The Source: This story was written from Los Angeles. Storyful, The Associated Press contributed.