Watch: Bison Charge At Car At Yellowstone

Bison charge at Yellowstone: Captured on camera

A woman captured the moment she stayed calm as a family of bison charged toward her car.

Passenger Marisah Yazbek, 29, was on a road trip to Montana with her friend Alina Ezzi.

The friends, from California, were traveling through Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming when the herd of bison approached the road. The video shows the moment panic sets in for Alina and absolute calm for Marisah as the animals make their way across the road.

Marisah, a producer from Temecula, CA, said the incident made for a perfect look at what the friendship dynamic is like between the two.

“We were on vacation, making a few stops on our scenic route to Montana,” she said. “Once we entered Yellowstone, we immediately noted the wildlife and were in awe of the scenery. At first, we were comfortable seeing Bison from afar – especially if they were walking leisurely or sitting. But once we saw a herd of bison running towards the road we were on, we thought it best to keep a considerable distance away from them.”

Alina Ezzi, the driver, was scared of what could happen as the bison drew closer to the vehicle.

“I was thrilled that I would be able to capture footage of this event,” she said.

Animal encounters are hardly a rare affair at Yellowstone National Park. In addition to bison crossing the road, tourists may encounter bears using trails.

Yellowstone National Park extends into three U.S. states: Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. It was created by the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant.

After panicking and calming down, the pair laughed off the situation and carried on with their journey to Montana.

“We were in awe of what just happened and couldn’t stop laughing,” Marisah said. “We kept driving but didn’t get too far. Right after the herd of bison passed two smaller bison crossed the road to keep up with their family. We both thought they were so cute!”

The footage was captured on March 23.

Bison don’t just live in the United States. A trio of European bison were reintroduced into the United Kingdom in July 2022. The small herd soon added a fourth member a few months later. 

European bison went extinct in the wild after World War I, but zoo-bred animals have kept the species from dying out entirely. According to the International Union for conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, the European Bison population grew to an estimated 2,500 adult animals by 2020.

Produced in association with SWNS Talker

Edited by Jessi Rexroad Shull and Sterling Creighton Beard