Key keywords: Yellowstone National Park bison attack, 12-year-old child bison injury, Yellowstone wildlife encounter safety, bison attack emergency response, Yellowstone visitor safety regulations, wild bison human conflict, Yellowstone medical evacuation, Old Faithful area wildlife incident Park officials confirmed in an official public statement on Thursday that a 12-year-old visitor from Fort Collins, Colorado was airlifted to a regional trauma center on Wednesday afternoon following a bison attack in the popular Old Faithful geyser area of Yellowstone National Park. The child’s identity has been withheld to protect the family’s privacy as they navigate the recovery process. According to initial investigations from park rangers, the child was walking along a designated boardwalk with three immediate family members when the group stepped roughly 15 yards off the path to take close-up photos of a fully grown male bison that was grazing approximately 20 yards from the official trail. Witnesses reported that the bison, which had appeared calm and unbothered by nearby visitors just moments before, suddenly charged without any obvious warning signs. The child, who was standing closest to the animal, was knocked to the ground and gored twice in the lower torso before other nearby visitors could make loud noises to distract the bison and guide it away from the group. Two off-duty emergency medical technicians who were hiking in the area administered life-saving first aid immediately, while park rangers arrived on scene within seven minutes of the first 911 call. The child was airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center 45 minutes later, and as of Thursday morning, hospital staff confirmed the minor is in stable but serious condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Yellowstone officials used the incident to reiterate longstanding visitor safety rules: all guests are required to stay at least 25 yards away from bison, elk, and deer at all times, and 100 yards away from bears and wolves. Park data shows bison are the most dangerous wild animal in Yellowstone, injuring more visitors annually than bears, wolves, and coyotes combined. “Bison weigh up to 2,000 pounds, can run 35 miles per hour, and are completely unpredictable even when they look slow or docile,” said Yellowstone Chief Ranger Sarah Davis in the statement. “We urge every visitor to review our wildlife safety guidelines before entering the park, stay on designated trails, and never prioritize a photo over personal safety.” This marks the second bison-related injury reported in Yellowstone in 2024, following a minor incident involving a 34-year-old hiker in the Mammoth Hot Springs area in May.