As the only place in the United States where bison have survived continuously in the wild since prehistoric times, Yellowstone National Park is home to the oldest and largest public bison herd. Their current numbers fluctuating between 4,000 and 6,000 individuals. This population roams relatively freely over the expansive 2.2 million acre landscape of Yellowstone National Park and some nearby areas of Montana.
It is an inevitability that Yellowstone National Park visitors will encounter bison every day and the park has some simple commonsense rules in place to keep both guests and bison safe. First and foremost of these regulations is to maintain at least 25 yards distance away from bison at all times. Bison may appear to be docile creatures that spend their days grazing and loafing around but they are incredibly agile when they need to be and account for injuring more people at Yellowstone than any other species.
Brazen disregard of park regulations pertaining to wildlife is an ongoing problem at Yellowstone and the following video is prime example of this disgraceful behavior. This man not only approached this bison herd but got within inches of an adult and stuck his camera in the bison’s face.
Thankfully the bison did not charge the intruding wildlife paparazzi but this very easily could have turned into an emergency situation. If you are planning to visit Yellowstone National Park in coming months please respect park policies and give its wildlife a respectable amount of space. Learn more about Yellowstone National Park bison safety below.
Yellowstone Bison Safety Guidelines:
Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal. Bison are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans. Always stay at least 25 yards (23 m) away from bison.
- Give bison space when they are near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity. 
- Approaching bison threatens them, and they may respond by bluff charging, head bobbing, pawing, bellowing, or snorting. These are warning signs that you are too close and that a charge is imminent.
- Do not stand your ground. Immediately walk or run away from the animal. Spray bear spray as you are moving away if the animal follows you.
