The Yellowstone bison that propelled a great-grandfather into viral fame after flinging him into the air will not be euthanized, park officials have announced. The animal will face no management action following the attack.
Yellowstone National Park adheres to a policy of minimal intervention, allowing natural processes to unfold unless human life is directly threatened or directed by Congress. The park's website emphasizes that Yellowstone is a wilderness, not a zoo, and is home to wildlife living on their own terms.
The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. on a Friday when Carl McDaniel, 65, and his grandson were walking near the Bridge Bay Campground. Video footage showed the bison becoming agitated and charging at McDaniel, ultimately hooking him with its horn and throwing him approximately eight feet into the air.
McDaniel sustained a fractured femur, the body's strongest bone, in four places near his hip. He underwent surgery and, by Monday, was able to stand, indicating the injuries were less severe than they could have been. McDaniel noted that the six-foot-tall bison had the opportunity to cause greater harm, such as stomping or goring him, but did not.
While the specific provocation for the attack remains unclear, it occurred during bison mating season, a period when male bison exhibit heightened testosterone levels. In the moments before the encounter with McDaniel, the bison had reportedly been observed charging at other campers and had been resting near a picnic area.
Photographer Mike MacLeod, who captured the event, described the bison as appearing agitated, kicking like a "rodeo horse." McDaniel and his grandson had stopped to take photos of the bison when it stood up. McDaniel, realizing the potential danger, instructed his grandson to run in one direction while he ran in the other to draw the animal away.
His grandson escaped unharmed, but McDaniel was attacked. Even after the initial impact, the bison remained near McDaniel, exhibiting continued aggression, according to MacLeod. Other onlookers then intervened, making noise and appearing large to distract the bison, which eventually ran off.
When MacLeod approached McDaniel, the first concern expressed was for his grandson's well-being. A nurse and another bystander provided assistance until an ambulance arrived.
Park regulations stipulate that visitors should maintain a distance of at least 75 feet from bison. While some online speculation questioned whether McDaniel had violated this rule, MacLeod suggested that most observers felt the two individuals had not provoked the animal and had kept a respectful distance.