A tourist got a brutal reminder that some wildlife encounters are better enjoyed from a distance. The man had ventured to within about 20 feet of a European bison in Poland’s Białowieża Forest when it suddenly charged, according to local reports and footage of the encounter. The bison then stood over him, swiping at him whenever he tried to rise. Nature photographer Grzegorz Ryński, who filmed the encounter, shouted at the tourist to stay down before slowly driving his car toward the bison. He kept a door open so the man could climb inside, according to the reports. But the tourist appeared to be in shock and tried to escape on foot. Ryński then slowly reversed alongside him, using the vehicle to keep the bison at bay until they were far enough away. The man was left with a deep gash on his calf and heavy bruising and was taken to a hospital, according to Ryński’s wife. Ryński said the tourist was fortunate that this particular bison was relatively calm. It comes after a similar attack at Yellowstone National Park, when a tourist was launched eight feet into the air.
Read it at New York Post
