A tourist was injured after approaching bison at Yellowstone just days after the park reopened

• A woman was injured Wednesday after approaching a bison at Yellowstone National Park, which reopened May 18.
• The victim "refused transport to a medical facility," according to a news release. It was the first such incident of 2020.
• Between 2000 and 2015, at least 25 people were injured by bison at Yellowstone, 21 of them tourists, most of whom approached the animal.

Yellowstone National Park has only been open a few days, following closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and on Wednesday park officials said a tourist was injured after approaching a wild animal.

According to authorities at the famed park, which reopened May 18, "a female visitor was knocked to the ground and injured by a bison in the Old Faithful Upper Geyser basin."

In a news release, the park said the tourist was attacked "after approaching the animal too closely." The victim was assessed by medical personnel but "refused transport to a medical facility," the release said.

It's the first such incident of 2020, but certainly not the first in recent memory.

Between 2000 and 2015, at least 25 people were injured by bison, 21 of them tourists, researchers found, making them the greatest threat to the park's visitors. All of the injuries happened in crowded areas of the park, like Old Faithful, and 80% of the time they occurred after the victim approached the animal.

Park rangers recommend staying 25 yards away from bison and other large animals, and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves.

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