US3 min(s) read
Published 09:33 15 Jul 2026 GMT
Warning: This article contains distressing footage of the incident.
The fate of the bison that attacked an elderly man in Yellowstone National Park has been revealed, days after footage of the horrifying incident circulated on social media.
The man was left injured after being launched several feet into the air at the Bridge Bay Campground on Friday (July 10).
A video captured by photographer Mike MacLeod, who was camping nearby, showed the man walking with his grandson, 13, as the bison turned aggressive.
They tried to get away from the animal by moving behind a group of trees.
Still, the animal targeted them - while the grandson escaped, Carl McDaniel, 65, was left wounded after the bison hooked the man with one of its horns before tossing him around eight feet into the air.
McDaniel was left with a broken femur in four places near his hip, needing to undergo surgery on Sunday as a result.
And now, a decision has been made on the bison's future.
The Yellowstone National Park bull bison will not be euthanized, say park officials.
In a statement to TMZ, they confirmed that "no management action" would be taken against the wild animal, so the bison won't face any punishment for its attack on McDaniel.
The beast charged at the grandfather, who is also a community leader, and he had no choice but to think fast.
Speaking to CNN, he recalled: “We were about a hundred yards away,
“He was not aggressive; he was not having problems and we took some pictures and decided to walk on.”
McDaniel explained: “There was little time to decide what to do. At that point, he was within 100 yards; he could be to us in seconds, so I told my grandson to run in one direction and I went the other to try and draw him away,
“When I was on the ground immobile, unable to move, he was right on top of me. He could have stomped on me, he could have gored me, he could have done almost anything to take my life, and he did not do so.”
Luckily, McDaniel was already up on his feet just one day after his surgery, though he revealed that he will be doing physical therapy for a few days, noting that "it was not as catastrophic as it could have been."
After McDaniel was tossed into the air, MacLeod, who was behind the camera, stepped in, as per Cowboy State Daily.
He told the publication: “I was really afraid he was going to gore the guy on the ground, so I stopped videotaping and ran at the bison, yelled loud, and was trying to be as big and intimidating as possible.”
People rushed over to the grandfather after the bison took off, finding him in a lot of pain, though emergency services arrived soon after.
In a statement to CNN, the National Park Service said: “Park emergency medical personnel responded and transported him to a nearby hospital.”
They further advised visitors to keep at least 25 yards from bison and never to approach the animals, adding: “If the bison follows you, spray bear spray as you are moving away, and seek cover behind nearby trees or cars.”
