Second Woman Kicked in Head by Elk at Yellowstone National Park, Visitor From Texas

The elk in Yellowstone National Park are extremely dangerous right now and have sent two people to the hospital in the past three days. According to Yellowstone National Park spokesman Jake Frink, the latest attack occurred on Tuesday morning, June 5.

“It was the same as the previous attack,” Frink said. “It was a person who wandered outside of a building and didn’t realize that they were approaching a hidden elk calf. The mom, doing what most moms do, defended its young. It hit her in the head and torso. She attempted to back away, but the elk pursued her, got up on its hind legs, hit her in the head and the torso.”

There are a lot of similarities in the two recent elk attacks: both of the recent elk attack victims have been women in their early 50s. Penny Allyson Behr, age 53 is the latest victim, she was visiting the park from Cypress, Texas but was taken to Livingston Memorial Hospital after she was kicked in the head. Both attacks also occurred outside the same hotel.

“It was at the Mammoth Hotel,” Frink said. “This was not in the same specific area, but it was in the general area. As employees walk out of buildings, not just near the hotel, but just walking out of any building, elk are literally everywhere. She was caught off guard. She didn’t actively approach anyone. There were no citations issued in either case.”

Frink says they don't know if the same elk is responsible in both attacks, but warns all park goers that the wildlife can be dangerous, especially when they are protecting their young. This is the third animal attack in the Park in less than six weeks.