A woman was gored by a bison Sunday while she was visiting Yellowstone National Park, park officials said Sunday.
The 47-year-old woman suffered “significant injuries to her chest and abdomen” and was flown by helicopter to a hospital, the park said. Her condition was not released in a statement Monday.
The woman, from Phoenix, walked away from the bison after she and the person she was with spotted two of the animals, the National Park Service said. One of the bison charged.
Park officials routinely warn visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from bison — it was not known how far away the woman was when the bison charged, the park said.
The incident remained under investigation Monday, the park said. It occurred Sunday morning in a field on the north shore of Lake Yellowstone, near the Lake Lodge Cabins, it said.
Bison can get more easily agitated during mating season, which is from mid-July through mid-August, it said.
It’s the first time this year a bison has gored someone at the park, Monday’s statement said.
More than 3.2 million people visited Yellowstone last year, and the park over the last decade has frequently topped 4 million, according to statistics from the park service.