04 December 2023 , 13:00
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A man has admitted he's "definitely an idiot" after he was attacked and seriously injured by a bison he foolishly tried to pet.
Halen Carbajal is recovering after being gored by a bison on private property in Provo, a city in Southern Utah. He and his girlfriend, returning from an early Thanksgiving celebration in a family cabin, encountered domestic bison on a neighbour's land. It was then that Carbajal, admittedly displaying naivety, crossed a fence to get closer to the animals.
The bison gored Carbajal in the stomach, leading to his airlift to Utah Valley Hospital. Currently recovering at home, Carbajal has a liver laceration, a broken rib, and a bruised lung.
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He recounted, per KUTV: "I was definitely an idiot in this scenario. I crossed through the fence. I started walking back near the fence. By the time I got back to the fence, he had followed me all the way over, and I was like oh, that's pretty cool. I kind of did want to pet him, so I was just being naïve about the whole thing, so I did that, and yeah, he just rocked me pretty good."
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He reflected: "It was for sure a reality check or recognising my naivety and thinking it would be fine to try and touch one, and just realising that you got to have a lot more reverence for big crazy beasts like that. You have to have a lot more reverence for big crazy beasts like that, you know. There's admiration and then there's a level of respect you have to have with just keeping your distance."
Halen Carbajal tried to stroke the bison but it attacked him (GoFundMe)Acknowledging his luck at a second chance, Carbajal described the moment of the attack: "He [bison] dipped his head down, and I think that's the point where his horn went in, and he caught me right there, and I was flipped. I think he stuck me and then lifted me, which would make sense why my rib was broken too. I crawled... There was a fence with some pretty good gaps in it, so I squeezed through the lower ones. I don't think he was really trying to attack me. I think he was just curious because he didn't go after me after that."
Faith Heaton-Jolley, spokesperson for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, highlighted the common misconception that bison, resembling domesticated cows, are friendly. She said: "There's just this common misconception that because they kind of look like cows, people think they're domestic or friendly. They are wild animals. They do act unpredictably sometimes, and they can act aggressively if you get too close to them."
The man suffered a liver laceration, a broken rib, and a bruised lung (GoFundMe)Following the incident, a GoFundMe page has been set up to assist with Carbajal's medical expenses. The fundraiser read: "Hi, I’m fundraising to help Halen Carbajal with the medical bills that are racking up after he was gored by a Buffalo in southern Utah on November 21st. The Buffalo gored Halen in the abdomen causing an eight inch laceration, broken rib, lacerated liver, and bruised lung. He had to be life-flighted from the ER in Teasdale to the ICU in Utah Valley and spent 7 days in the hospital. He is now home under the care of a home health nurse.
"Halen is one of the best and most selfless people I know. He just finished a season working with the Utah Conservation Corps and he relies on his physical health for the kinds of work he does. Halen is in good spirits despite his situation and we’re all hoping for a smooth recovery. Anything to help with the emergency medical bills will be so appreciated."
What to do if you see bison
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has shared some tips to avoid agitating a bison:
- If a bison stops its activity to focus on you, you're too close—slowly back away.
- If a bison is blocking the road, wait in your vehicle instead of getting out.
- When a bison is on the roadside, drive past it slowly, staying inside your vehicle.
- Avoid approaching a bison in the distance; take photos from a safe distance.
- If hiking and encountering a bison on or near the trail, either backtrack or leave the trail, giving the animal a wide berth for safety.