Yellowstone Bison Tosses Girl, 9, in the Air

A 9-year-old girl apparently escaped without serious injury after she was charged and tossed in the air by a bison at Yellowstone National Park on Monday. The National Park Service says the girl was part of a group of 50 to 60 people who got far too close to the bison in the Old Faithful Geyser area of the park, NBC reports. Witnesses say the group spent at least 20 minutes within 5 to 10 feet of the bull bison before it charged, reports the Missoulian. Yellowstone National Park warns visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from animals including bison, elk, bighorn sheep, moose, and coyotes, and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves.

The girl "was taken to the Old Faithful Lodge by her family where she was assessed and treated by park emergency medical providers, and later taken to and released from the Old Faithful Clinic," the park service said in a statement. No citations were issued. KTVQ reports that a Twitter user shared what appeared to be video of the incident Tuesday, claiming that the girl's family had actually been petting the bison before it charged. (Last year, a man who admitted drunkenly harassing a Yellowstone bison was sentenced to 130 days.)