A visitor to Yellowstone National Park found themselves in an embarrassing predicament this week when a massive bison blocked their exit from a public restroom.
The moment went viral as the incident was caught on video and shared widely on social media.
The video shows a terrified tourist peeking out from the toilet door as a giant bison grazed just outside, effectively trapping them inside.
Crowds formed around and watched the events unfold in joy. This bison incident is just one of many bison attacks that have occurred in Yellowstone recently, including a spectacular attack that occurred just a few days ago that left a Washington man hospitalized with injuries.
Carl McDaniel, age 65, a local hero from Kendall, Washington, was thrown 8 feet into the air by a bison on July 10 at Bridge Bay Campground, Wyoming. This attack incident, captured on video, showed Carl walking away from the bison before being attacked and thrown into the air by the bison’s horns.
McDaniel suffered a broken femur in four places, requiring immediate hospitalization. McDaniel said, “Even though I was on the ground, he could have stomped me, he could have eaten me, he could have done anything,” he said.
Bison can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds and are the largest mammals in North America; they are capable of running up to 40 miles per hour. There are recorded cases of bison attacks in Yellowstone every year, which generally occur in July and August during the breeding season when male bison become very aggressive.
The National Park Service claims that bison have injured more visitors to Yellowstone than any other animal. Visitors should keep a distance of at least 25 yards from these animals.
