Bison gores Taiwanese teen in Yellowstone

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo., May 17 (UPI) -- A 16-year-old Taiwanese foreign exchange student was gored by a bison as she posed for a picture in Yellowstone National Park Friday.

The girl suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries. She was visiting Yellowstone with her host family.

They were hiking in a trail near the Old Faithful geyser in Wyoming when they stopped by a group of people who were watching bison grazing nearby.

"The girl turned her back to the bison to have her picture taken when the bison lifted its head, took a couple steps and gored her," the National Park Service said in a statement.

Park rangers rushed to help the girl and took her to the Old Faithful Clinic, where she was later airlifted for further treatment.

The National Park Service warns people must stay at least 25 yards away from large animals such as bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose and coyotes, and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves.

The Taiwanese girl, whose name was not released, and her host family are reported to have been less than six feet away from the bison.

The park service warns that bison can sprint three times faster than humans can run and are unpredictable and dangerous.

"Your best view may be from inside a hard-sided vehicle," according to the park service. "Every year visitors are gored and some have been killed."

There are 2,300 to 5,000 bison in Yellowstone.