Bison fight over mate stops traffic on road at Yellowstone National Park, video shows

A group of motorists got stuck in the middle of a bison brawl this week at Yellowstone National Park, when two aggressive males broke from a herd and went head-to-head in the travel lanes.

Video of the incident was posted Wednesday on the park’s Facebook page and it is both brief — just 9 seconds — and graphic in its depiction of brute force.

The battle happened without warning, too, with a large male appearing out of nowhere to charge a smaller male.

In the seconds that follow, the aggressor rams into the side of his intended victim, raising him off the ground and carrying him across the road. The victim eventually lands nose first in the grass.

Neither appeared to be hurt as they separated, trotting off in different directions.

The video, which was filmed from inside a vehicle, was posted as a warning by the park.

“Bison mating season is still going on in the park,” Yellowstone officials wrote. “Male bison are particularly aggressive right now, though all bison and other wildlife can be dangerous. Remember to always keep your distance — 25 yards from bison and elk; 100 yards from all other wildlife.”

Yellowstone is home to nearly 5,000 free-ranging bison, which are often referred to as buffalo. The biggest of the males grow to 2,000 pounds and can run up to 30 mph, the park reports.

It was their speed that most excited people viewing the video.

“Look at how fast he went from 0 to 30. I have always respected the buffalo, but this makes me even more aware of their speed and power,” Robin Milligan posted.

“If a charging bison can throw another more than half way across a road, just imagine what they could do to you,” Steve Fallon commented.

“At the speed they move, 25 yards doesn’t seem far enough, I would stay 50 yards away at least,” Dominique Pauline Dennemeyer wrote.

This story was originally published August 12, 2020 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Bison fight over mate stops traffic on road at Yellowstone National Park, video shows."