Yellowstone Park visitors injured by animals and nature
Wildlife interactions, thermal burns, recreation accidents
by Yellowstone National Park
August 2, 2012
Yellowstone National Park rangers spent the day Monday responding to numerous incidents, including several involving significant injuries to visitors.
Carl Dullmaier, 56, of Gernsheim, Germany, sustained a head injury when he was thrown from a horse near Tower Junction. He later died from his injuries after being lifeflighted to a Billings, Montana, hospital.
A 37-year-old man from Provo, Utah, suffered thermal burns on the Solitary Geyser Trail in the Upper Geyser Basin. He was transported by ambulance to West Yellowstone, Montana, and from there by fixed-wing aircraft to the Salt Lake City, Utah, Burn Center.
A 65-year-old male British national from Bangkok, Thailand, suffered injuries when he was thrown into the air by a bull bison at Mammoth Hot Springs. He was transported to Memorial Hospital in Livingston, Montana.
Visitors are reminded to stay on boardwalks and designated trails while viewing all thermal features in the park. Scalding water underlies thin, breakable crusts; many geyser eruptions are unpredictable, and thermal features are near or above boiling temperatures.
Park visitors are also reminded that intentionally approaching or disturbing animals is dangerous and a violation of park regulations. Park rules require that you stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves at all times, and at least 25 yards away from all other animals including elk and bison.
Yellowstone officials respond to an average of 700 emergency medical calls each year.
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