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Bison severely injures Minnesota woman at national park in North Dakota

Minnesota woman recovering after being injured by bison
Minnesota woman recovering after being injured by bison 02:23

MEDORA, N.D. -- A bison severely injured a Minnesota woman on Saturday in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, the National Park Service said in a statement on Tuesday.

Park officials reported she was in serious but stable condition after suffering "significant injuries to her abdomen and foot."

The woman was taken to a Fargo hospital after being transported by ambulance to a hospital in Dickinson, about 30 miles east of Painted Canyon, a colorful Badlands vista popular with motorists, where she was injured at a trailhead in the late morning.

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The attack is under investigation; exact details are unknown. Park Superintendent Angie Richman did not immediately respond to an email requesting information.

Bison Wading in River
Bison wade in a river in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota. Getty Images

On Monday, a bison charged and gored a 47-year-old Phoenix woman in Yellowstone National Park. She suffered significant injuries to her chest and abdomen and was taken by helicopter to an Idaho Falls hospital.

Park officials reminded visitors that bison are large, powerful and wild, and can turn quickly and easily outrun people. Bulls can be aggressive during the rutting season from mid-July through August. Park regulations require visitors stay at least 25 yards away from large animals.

Bison are the largest mammals in North America, according to the Department of Interior. Male bison, called bulls, weigh up to 2,000 pounds and stand 6 feet tall. Females, called cows, weigh up to 1,000 pounds and reach a height of 4-5 feet. Yellowstone is the only place in the U.S. where bison have continuously lived since prehistoric times.  

The national park is located on the far western side of the state, near Medora. 

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