An 83-year-old South Carolina woman was seriously injured on Saturday when she was gored by a bison at Yellowstone National Park, authorities said.

>> Read more trending news

According to a news release from the National Park Service, the unidentified woman from Greenville encountered the bison near the Storm Point Trail at Yellowstone Lake.

Park officials said the bison appeared to be defending its space and lifted the woman about a foot off the ground with its horns, KBZK-TV reported.

“Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal,” the National Park Service said. “Bison are not aggressive animals but will defend their space when threatened.

“They are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.”

In July 2023, a bison gored a 47-year-old woman from Phoenix during the animals’ mating season, USA Today reported.

After being examined at the Lake Medical Clinic at Yellowstone National Park on Saturday, the woman was flown by helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, the National Park Service said in its news release.

“The incident remains under investigation and there is no additional information to share at this time, including the woman’s condition,” the release stated late Monday afternoon.

© 2024 Cox Media Group