A 70-year-old woman has died after being struck by a bison while on a hiking trail in South Dakota’s Custer State Park.
The woman, who has not been identified, was hiking with her husband on the Grace Coolidge Trail in Custer State Park last week when they encountered a herd of about five bull bison, according to People, CBS affiliate KELO and the Pierre Capital Journal.
The Custer County Sheriff’s Office told the Capital Journal that the couple had paused about 450 metres from the animals and waited for them to continue up the trail. Once the couple reportedly continued hiking and came around a corner, they encountered the bison at a distance of around 45 metres, the outlet reports.
The couple stopped again and then continued trailing the bison, but a bull eventually broke from the group and charged the woman, the Capital Journal reports.
A spokesperson for the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Department (GFP) told KELO that the woman was struck by the bison in the back and died from her injuries.
GFP communications manager Nick Harrington told KELO that staff have moved the bison from the area and “are actively monitoring the animal’s behavior to ensure public safety and prevent future incidents.”
Harrington said that dry conditions have caused the bison to spread out throughout the park, which means visitors should remain aware of their surroundings while on the trails.
“Hikers are encouraged to make noise as they are on the trails, be mindful when rounding corners or coming across a ridge, and to keep pets on a leash,” Harrington told the outlet.
“It’s important to remember that bison are wild animals and need to be treated as such. Visitors are reminded to keep their distance from all wild animals and safely enjoy both the trails and wildlife within the park,” he added.
Park officials around the U.S. share frequent warnings not to get too close to wildlife while visiting national parks ahead of the busy summer season.
Last May, a Florida man was injured after he was charged and gored by a bison at Yellowstone National Park.
The 47-year-old, who had approached the bison, escaped with only minor injuries and was treated by emergency medical personnel, according to the National Park Service (NPS).