The Yellowstone bison that sent a 65-year-old man airborne in an August incident will not be euthanized, according to park officials. Yellowstone stated that no "management action" will be taken against the animal involved in the attack.
The national park operates under a policy that rarely intervenes in natural wildlife behavior unless a human life is at immediate risk or directed by Congress. The park's website emphasizes that Yellowstone is a wilderness, not a zoo, allowing its creatures to live in their natural environment.
The incident occurred on a Friday evening when Carl McDaniel of Washington State and his grandson were walking near the Bridge Bay Compound in Yellowstone. Video footage captured the bison charging at McDaniel, eventually 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 was able to stand soon after, though he anticipated a period of physical therapy.
McDaniel recounted that the bison could have inflicted more severe harm, noting the animal remained over him after the initial assault and displayed aggressive behavior. He stated that the bison did not stomp on him or gore him further, suggesting the animal did not intend to take his life.
While the specific provocation for the attack remains unclear, it occurred during the bison mating season, a period when male bison exhibit heightened testosterone levels and increased aggression. Reports indicated the bison had been agitated prior to the encounter, charging at other campers.
Photographer Mike MacLeod, who captured the event, described the bison as "very agitated" before McDaniel's arrival. McDaniel and his grandson had been taking photos of the bison when it stood up. McDaniel then instructed his grandson to run in one direction while he ran in another to distract the animal, a move he felt could lure the bison away from his grandson.
Even after flipping McDaniel, the bison reportedly remained at the scene, exhibiting anger. MacLeod and other onlookers intervened by making noise and appearing larger to distract the bison, which eventually caused it to run off. McDaniel's primary concern after the attack was his grandson's well-being.
Park regulations stipulate visitors should remain at least 75 feet from bison. While online speculation arose about McDaniel's proximity to the animal, witnesses present, including MacLeod, suggested the individuals had maintained a respectful distance and did not provoke the bison.