Woman attacked by Yellowstone bison

(NEW YORK) — A 71-year-old woman was gored by a bull bison at Yellowstone National Park, making her the third person attacked by a bison at the park this year.

A park official said that the Pennsylvania woman and her daughter were headed back to their vehicle at Storm Point at Yellowstone Lake on Wednesday when they inadvertently approached the bison, causing it to charge at them.

The woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was sent to West Park Hospital in Cody, Wyoming.

Earlier this week, a 34-year-old Colorado man was walking with his family near Giant Geyser at Old Faithful in Yellowstone when a bull bison attacked him.

On May 30, a 25-year-old woman was gored by a bison after approaching the animal near a boardwalk at Black Sand Basin.

Yellowstone officials warned that people should stay over 25 yards away from bison and other large animals at the park and give them space near campsites, trails and boardwalks.

“Though bison are generally more intent on grazing, mother bison are extremely protective of their calves in spring and bulls can be more aggressive in July and August during the rut when they are competing for the attention of females,” Dennis Jorgensen, the bison program manager at World Wildlife Fund, told ABC News in a statement.

Bison are threatened when approached and may issue warnings, such as head bobbing, pawing and snorting, when you’re too close. Officials add that people should not hold their ground and should run away from bison immediately.

“Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal,” the park says on its website. “Bison are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.”

Yellowstone National Park is reopening part of its north loop on Saturday, weeks after severe flooding forced people to flee, left some stranded and damaged roads and bridges, forcing the park to shut down.

“We’re pleased to reopen the north loop of Yellowstone to the visiting public less than three weeks after this major flood event,” Cam Sholly, the park’s superintendent, said in a press release Thursday.