Moment wild bison CHARGES toward reckless Yellowstone tourists who stop to take photos just a few feet away

• A bison at Yellowstone National Park charged at a group of tourists
• The large group posed to take pictures with the giant animal
• They all ran away as the bison approached them head on  

This is the moment a bison was filmed charging toward tourists as they took pictures with the wild animal from just a few feet away. 

Footage of the incident circulating social media has drawn unsympathetic responses online after the group of around 12 people crowded around the large bison as it grazed by the roadside at Yellowstone National Park. 

The group can be seen with their backs turned as they posed for pictures with the huge buffalo, before it suddenly ran toward them. 

Video taken by photographer Logan Smith was reshared to the popular Instagram account TouronsofYellowStone. 

‘Touron’ is a word made from blending ‘tourist’ and ‘moron’ which has been assigned to Yellowstone visitors who appear to be making poor decisions.

As the bison pounced on the park visitors, Smith is heard saying: ‘Well what do you expect?’ 

Tourists ran away from the charging bison after it stopped grazing and approached them head on at Yellowstone National Park 

A post shared by TouronsOfYellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone)

A large group of tourists gathered around the large bison and took pictures with it in the background before it approached them

The interaction with the bison begins as the tourist group stand in front of wooden logs, just a few feet away from the animal. 

As they take pictures of each other with the bison, also known as a buffalo, the animal feeds on patches of grass. 

Just as they get their shots, the bison’s tail flips up as it decides to stop eating and instead charges head first at the people who quickly run off in distress.

After the bison clears the way, it turns back around and starts to graze right where the people were standing. 

Everyone appeared to walk away uninjured but their close call triggered a wave of comments from viewers online who appeared unimpressed they didn’t leave more space. 

‘I love when the guy filming says “well what do you expect” could not be more correct,’ said one. 

Another person posted picture meme of a bison that read ‘BYE SON.’ 

One commenter said: ‘Helllooooo, a little too close! Wild animal, people!’ 

Another commenter said: ‘I’m sorry but laws have to be changed you stay in your car or you don’t get out!’ 

One commenter agreed with Smith who filmed the incident at the park and said ‘Well what do you expect?’ 

Another posted a meme of a bison that read ‘BYE SON’ 

A majority of the comments agreed that the tourists were too close to the animal that can weigh up to 2,000lbs

There are signs spread all throughout the national park that read ‘Do not approach wildlife’

There are signs spread throughout the national park that read ‘Do not approach wildlife,’ and they have recommended that visitors should keep a distance of 25 yards from bison, elk, and all other wildlife.

Yellowstone park rangers recommend tourists who come in contact with bears or wolves should keep a distance of 100 yards from the wild animals. 

The National Park Service said on their website that it is ‘illegal’ to intentionally approach wildlife and if you cause the animal to move ‘you’re too close.’ 

The animal that can reach speeds of 35 miles per hour and was crowned the national animal of the country in 2016, alongside the bald eagle. 

They are known as the largest mammals in the north east and can weigh up to 2,000lbs and stand at six feet tall. Bison’s are male while females are known as cows that can weigh up to 1,000lbs and reach a height of four to five feet. 

Yellowstone National Park spans across Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. 

According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Yellowstone National Park is the only location in the country where bison ‘have continuously lived since prehistoric times.’ 

The tail of a bison plays a huge role in the animals mood. When it hangs down and moves back and forth it typically means that it is calm, but when it shoots up in the air- like the bison in the video- it means that it is ready to charge. 

In July, a bison at Yellowstone left a woman with seven spinal fractures after she was attacked by the enormous animal. 

Amber Harris, 47, sustained ‘significant injuries to her chest and abdomen,’ including spinal fractures and two collapsed lungs.

The attack ruined plans her fiancé had to propose on the trip, instead forcing him to pop the question while she was laid up in a hospital bed. 

A month later, a male tourist was slammed online after she was caught cornering a bison while holding a baby.

In August, a man was filmed trying to take a photo of a huge bison while holding a baby 

The man was seen peering around from behind the wooden frame of a building, aiming one arm toward the mammal named Old Faith geyser as he used his other arm to keep the baby propped up on his side.

Bison are known to be territorial animals and 112 bison were transferred to the park in 2023. The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes have conserved 300 to 400 bison across 20,000 plus acres of land there. 

According to a report done by Utah State University, in 2019, 56 people were injured and two people died from bison related injuries at the park. 

The animal has gone on to injure two people in the park in 2022 and multiple people in 2023.    

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