By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-03 16:57:17 | Updated at 2026-08-06 00:25:52
2 days ago
A terrified child was seen sprinting from a bison in Yellowstone National Park after a clueless family was captured in shocking footage walking far too close to the angry beast.
Brittany Peteler captured video of a family, including two young children, walking along a path dangerously close to a huge bison.
The animal was seen swishing its tail as another woman walked ahead just moments before the young family attempted to pass.
Peteler and other onlookers watched in shock as the group continued on, as one was heard saying: 'Please, please, please. Children, children.'
Another muttered: 'No, you're way too close. Dude what are you doing?'
As they approached the bison, an adult and two children appeared to slow before the animal suddenly turned and lunged toward them.
One young child walking in the front of the group broke into a sprint to escape the enraged animal, while the bison followed for a few paces before slowing to a walk.
The family behind the child stopped in their tracks as the bison slowly continued in the direction of the child.
The group were seen tentatively continuing to walk along the path before those videoing yelled at them to turn around.
'Go back! Do not go towards him. Go back,' they screamed. 'Go away from him. Move away from him!'
Brittany Peteler captured video of a family, including two young children, walking along a path dangerously close to a huge bison, which was seen agitated while standing near the walkway
Brittany Peteler, who was videoing the scene, and other onlookers watched in shock, as one was heard saying: 'No, you're way too close. Dude what are you doing?'
As they approached the bison, an adult and two children appeared to slow before the animal suddenly turned and lunged toward them and the child sprinted away from the beast
The incident comes just weeks after a man was seen being launched into the air by a bison in the same Wyoming national park.
While walking with his grandson, Carl McDaniel, 65, of Washington State was seen in footage sprinting from a bison who charged at him after they stopped to photograph the massive animal.
As he attempted to escape, the grandfather was thrown around eight feet into the air.
'The bison was pumping his legs and pumping his head and exhibiting very aggressive behavior,' photographer Mike MacLeod told ABC News.
MacLeod said he tried to distract the animal by yelling and jumping up and down before he rushed over to help McDaniel.
'He was in a lot of pain and he was trying to not move his leg, but his immediate concern as for his grandson,' the photographer continued.
According to the outlet, McDaniel's grandson was unharmed during the incident and his grandfather underwent surgery but is expected to recover.
He broke his femur - the strongest bone in the body - in four places near his hip in the assault.
'We saw the bison, and he was down. He wasn't showing aggression or anything like that,' he said. 'They move faster than you could ever imagine. It picked a target. That target happened to be me.'
Carl McDaniel, 65, spoke out from his hospital bed at Bozeman Health after being attacked by a bison, which left him with a broken femur
'He just kept coming, and he was more aggressive, and as soon as he got off that tree he launched me in the air,' McDaniel continued.
He added that he is grateful to have survived the attack and believed his injuries could have been worse.
'Even though I was on the ground, he could've stomped me, he could've gored me, he could've done anything,' the great-grandfather said.
It remains unclear what may have provoked the beast to attack McDaniel, but it came amid bison mating season when the males of the species have increased testosterone levels.
Following the injury of a 12-year-old park visitor in June, park officials said that bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal.
'They are unpredictable, can run three times faster than humans and will defend their space when threatened,' the release stated.
Officials added that visitors should maintain a distance of at least 25 yards from all large animals, including bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose and coyotes, and around 100 yards from bears, wolves and cougars.
The Daily Mail reached out to Yellowstone National Park for comment.
