Teen Gored Posing for Photo Next to Bison at Yellowstone National Park

A 16-year-old girl suffered serious injuries at Yellowstone National Park.

ByABC News
May 16, 2015, 6:47 PM
Old Faithful geyser is seen erupting at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
Old Faithful geyser is seen erupting at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
Getty Images

— -- A teenage girl visiting Yellowstone National Park suffered serious injuries when she tried to pose for a photo next to a bison.

The 16-year-old Taiwanese exchange student and her host family were hiking near Old Faithful Geyser on Friday afternoon when they came across a bison grazing, according to a news release from the National Park Service. The group was between 3 and 6 feet away from the animal at the time.

When the teen turned her back to the bison to have her picture taken, the bison took a few steps and "gored her," the National Park Service reported.

The girl suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries, the National Park Service said.

The National Park Service calls bison "unpredictable and dangerous" and says visitors should stay at least 25 yards away.

"Visitors are reminded that Yellowstone wildlife is wild," the National Park Service said in a news release. "Wildlife should not be approached, no matter how tame or calm they appear."