Yellowstone National Park‘s 2.2 million acres provide visitors with unparalleled opportunities to observe wildlife in an intact ecosystem. The park is home to a vast range of mammals from small weasels to massive grizzly bears but the bison is easily Yellowstone’s most iconic beast.
Yellowstone is the only place in the U.S. where bison have lived ceaselessly since prehistoric times. They mark the largest bison population on public land in the country with an estimated 5,400 (as of 2024) living in the park. Bison are the largest land mammal in North America, weighing up to 2,000 pounds, and can run at speeds up to 35 miles per hour.
Despite the park’s massive size and numerous wildlife viewing opportunities, some visitors seem to have a hard time resisting the urge to crowd the wildlife. Yellowstone is very clear with it’s rules and regulations when it comes to behavior around animals, especially around bison, yet people still frequently break those rules putting both themselves and the animals at risk.
Such was the case in this clip taken on Monday, June 2, when two parents with their very young children approached far too close to a bison in the Pebble Creek area of Yellowstone National Park. Fortunately the bison stayed calm through the interaction but one misstep and this could have ended a whole lot worse.
Despite their often less-than-threatening demeanor, bison have injured more people in Yellowstone National Park than any other animal. All animals need to be given a safe amount of space (100 yards for wolves and bears, 25 yards for every other animal), but bison incidents are particularly common. The massive animals are unpredictable and can run up to three times as fast as people. These parents are absolutely endangering their children by approaching this close. Read more on bison safety below.
Yellowstone National Park Bison Safety:
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.
Don’t they have a way to record the license plates?? Would they put these kids up by a bear??? Should make tourists stay in locked cars with windows up. How bought fines for disobeying? Rangers more available on patrol? I went with kids in 1994 but saw or did anything so dangerous as recent stupids. Signs with fines posted in multiple languages. It’s their home not a zoo.
Your comment: “Bison are the largest land mammal in North America, weighing up to 2,000 pounds” is false. That is false, Bison may be the tallest bovine but the largest bovine (Mammal) is the Chinina in the US and the world. Mature bulls can reach up to 1.8 meters (5 ft 11 in) and mature oxen can reach 2 meters (6 ft 7 in), with bulls often exceeding 1,600 kg (3,500 lb).
If you want to stick with the term mammal and use height as the discriminator, then humans would be the largest because we have many (male and female) well over six feet tall. Lastly, regarding the wandering tourists, there are many stupid people in the world and they routinely compete for the Darwin Award. It is unfortunate but it is true.
“Chinina” is a Polish word meaning “quinine,” which is a bitter-tasting drug extracted from the bark of a tree and used as a medicine, especially for malaria. It’s also used in the treatment of babesiosis.
I can’t find an animal named a “chinina” is a medicine so maybe know YOUR facts before trying to correct the biggest and most successful weeks life park in the U.S. because actually the African elephant is the largest land mammal in the world sooo yeah. Sounded convincing though!
Tourists who violate rules regarding wildlife in parks should be permanently removed from the park. If there were consequences like losing privileges, perhaps people would act with more respect.
I totally agree.
These are the kind of clueless people also vote against thier best interests
Should be reported to Child Protective Services for child endangerment and neglect.
Report every child to parents in America. I don’t agree with this, but kids ride the school bus all over America, and let’s talk dangerous. People lack common sense.
The city bus is safer than the school bus, my son in kindergarten stated that, it safer to ride the city bus mom, think that through….there are signs stay away from the animals, but walking on trails sometimes you come across animals. People allow their kids to pet other people’s dogs this could be dangerous.
The nanny state needs to be dismantled…
THIS is why everyone will suffer from the inevitable restrictions to come due to idiots like this.
With all of the warnings and rules…yet another example that you can’t fix stupid!
If I knew who these people were I’d call child protective services. She put her child in danger and I’m sure there were signs all over saying not to get near the wild animals. This is not Disney folks.
One of our biggest problems is our government has gotten rid of a lot of our Rangers.I know a friend of mine is one and doesn’t have a job any more .
Endangering a child
As one person said you’re a moron. Bison are terribly dangerous if approached. I read these articles almost daily.I agree, the fine should be extremely high and banned from yellowstone or any other park forever. These are wild animals and can turn on you at any time.Bison can run thirty miles an hour can you. Just plain ignorant.
It really ticks me off, too. I’d like to see more of these people getting arrested and fined. Very big fines. Seeing these people bring their children to pet them sent my blood pressure skyhigh.
What kind of parent would walk up close to a bison with their toddler!! They should be fined and permanently banned from the park. Mindless idiots.
The bison deserve better than that. From now on, I suggest every idiot that leaves their car, approach and kiss that bison on the Lipps. DO the world this favor, and reduce the surpluss idiot population.
The child & bison deserve better than that!
I guess the picture they can show their friends is more important than the life of their child. This could have gone south very quickly. They could probably open a CPS office at Yellowstone and be busy all the time. These parents are reckless morons.
Open a cps in Yellowstone for people like you who have NO COMMON sense.
Cps is a horrid, corrupt agency they could make money for false reporting instead of making a parents life more difficult.
Kids all over America play in streets run through parking lots , pet other people’s dogs, and an SUV is well over 2000 pounds. A dog that a child does not know could be dangerous…mind your business….I don’t agree with this. I also don’t agree with a child running through a parking lot.
Open a CPS office to charge people like you for false reporting.
I don’t agree with this, I also don’t agree with a child running through a parking lot where a SUV is well over 2000 pounds. You have no common sense, and cps should start charging people for false reporting it would be a good way to fund their CORRUPT agency, from ignorant people like you.
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They should put better signs up, every 15 miles. Because people get distracted, and for get.
It goes way beyond my common sense how stupid people are these days. They don’t need any children.
The problem is there are not enough rangers to control the morons.
That’s nothing short of child endangerment..and they should be arrested.
Why aren’t they doing something about this? Fine these people, ban them instantly. Every week there is a story about this stuff. Park Rangers do your job! I guess rules mean nothing anymore.
Did you know there is a park ranger shortage? Did you know the parks are huge? Did you know there are signs around the park warning people?
These so called parents, should be arrested for endangering the welfare of a child!
Can we leave the wildlife alone and start tranquilizing and relocating tourists? Or fine them the equivalent of the weight of the bison, bears, moose, and mountain lions they insist on approaching?
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Blatant disregard for wildlife and more so, blatant disregard for those poor children. This is child endangerment. Please, please tell me that CPS were informed and those children were taken to a safe home.
I lived in Yellowstone as a summer employee for about a decade at Norris geyser basin bison were not very common in the seventies but were considered very dangerous the only thing that came close was moose and grizzly. We never went near them. We went back for a visit several years later when bison had become common. I took my new wife fishing in the back country where we encountered two of them started to follow our trail like a blood hound with heads to the ground even though we were over a hundred yards way they followed us for about a quarter mile be fore they got off the trail. I have never been so worried about an animal as I was that day even though I had run into grizzly and black bear several times and moose on a few occasions while fishing. Can’t believe how stupid people are. One of the guys I worked with became a EMP on the ambulance service in the park and told us that they were called out on bison attacks more than anything.
Until CPS is contacted for child endangerment, these people won’t stop.
Why are these people being slapped with a 5000. Dollar per person and 3 days in jail. And Enforce it each time. Then publish it and maybe people will stop being stupid. Then post their pictures on thr state park web sites and ban them for life………
Those people should lose custody of those kids. Morons.
Parks should start banning people who endanger the animals and can’t follow simple rules. Why should they ruin it for everyone else.
That parent needs to be charged with child endangerment!!!! Wow… child needs to be taken into protective custody too
Exactly
Yes
I agree with those people that said that they’re endangering that child is that your children should be taken away from them because they’re not responsible behavior