A child narrowly avoided injury after being chased by a bison at Yellowstone National Park when a group of visitors approached the animal at close range, according to video recorded at the scene. The footage, filmed by Brittany Peteler, shows a woman walking past the bison as it approaches a wooden boardwalk. She crosses safely before another group, including several children, walks towards the animal despite warnings from people nearby.
As the group gets closer, one child begins running, prompting the bison to chase the youngster for several seconds before the child escapes unharmed.
Yellowstone National Park officials have repeatedly warned visitors to keep their distance from bison, saying they are responsible for more injuries to people in the park than any other wild animal.
“Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal,” park officials said.
Yellowstone National Park visitors had a close encounter with a bison, leading to a heart-stopping moment as the wild animal began chasing after a child.
Footage by Brittany Peteler shows a group, with children beginning to walk in the direction of the bison, to the disbelief… pic.twitter.com/5B4CrYUOEH
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) August 3, 2026
“They are unpredictable, can run three times faster than humans and will defend their space when threatened,” the National Park Service said. “Wild animals can be aggressive when people do not respect their space. Visitors are responsible for staying at least 25 yards away from all large animals, including bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose and coyotes.”
The latest incident follows several other encounters involving bison at Yellowstone this summer.
Last month, a fisherman narrowly avoided a confrontation after a bison approached him from behind while he was fishing. The man became aware of the animal only after his wife repeatedly sounded the horn of their nearby vehicle. He then walked away without incident.
In another case, a bison struck the side of a sport utility vehicle travelling through the park, damaging one of its tyres.
The most serious recent incident occurred in July, when 65-year-old Carl Isom-McDaniel, from Washington state, suffered multiple broken bones after a bull bison charged him near Yellowstone Lake and threw him several feet into the air. His grandson was not injured.
Park officials continue to remind visitors that bison are wild animals capable of running at speeds of up to 35mph (56km/h), around three times faster than humans, and can become aggressive without warning, particularly during the summer breeding season.
Visitors are required to remain at least 25 yards away from bison and other large wildlife while inside the park.