A man accused of kicking a bison in the leg in Yellowstone National Park while drunk was injured by the animal and later arrested, park officials said Monday.
Clarence Yoder, an Idaho native, approached the bison on the afternoon of April 21 on a road about seven miles east of the park's west entrance, according to a news release from the National Park Service.
The release states that rangers went to the area after receiving “a report of an individual harassing a herd of bison and kicking a bison in the leg.
They located the suspect’s vehicle near the west entrance and stopped it in the town of West Yellowstone, Montana.”
The guards then took Yoder, 40, to a nearby medical center, where he was “evaluated, treated and released from medical care,” the note states.
He was then taken to the Gallatin County detention center in Bozeman, Montana.
The park did not provide further details about the case or Yoder's injury.
Driver was also arrested
Yoder faces four charges, according to the statement:
- Being under the influence of alcohol to a degree that could place the person in danger
- Disorderly conduct that creates or maintains a dangerous condition
- Get up close to wildlife
- Disturbing wildlife
The driver of the vehicle in which Yoder was traveling, McKenna Bass, 37, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, was also arrested, the release notes.
Yoder and Bass waived their rights to be represented by attorneys and pleaded not guilty on April 22, according to U.S. District Court documents obtained by CNN,
Each violation can lead to fines of up to US$5,000 (R$25,000) and six months in prison. The case remains under investigation, the statement said.
First bison incident in 2024
U.S. national parks can pose dangers to visitors, especially those who don't heed warnings about wildlife and natural hazards.
Yellowstone said this was the first reported incident of a visitor being injured by a bison in 2024. There was one such incident in 2023 and three in 2022.
The park issues warnings, telling visitors to remember that its animals “are wild and can be dangerous when approached.”
“When an animal is near a campsite, trail, sidewalk, parking lot or in an urbanized area, give it space,” they warn.
“Stay more than 75 feet away from all large animals – bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose and coyotes – and at least 300 feet away from bears and wolves,” they add.
Adult male bison can reach up to 2,000 pounds, according to Yellowstone Park. Despite their size, they are considered agile and can run at up to 30 miles per hour.
They can jump over objects about 1.5 meters high and can be aggressive.
Source: CNN Brasil
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