While we were in Yellowstone two women on separate occasions were attacked by cow elks in the village of Mammoth Hot Springs.
The elk have learned that predators are less likely to attack their calves if they raise their calves in the village.
Unfortunately, the cows are very protective of their calves and will attack people who get too close.
The women unwittingly got too close to where the calves were hidden and the elk struck both women just as they are doing to each other in these photos.
Both women survived, but, the one had to be airlifted out and suffered severe injuries to one of her eyes and she had head injuries as well.
It was easy to see how such devastating injuries could occur to people while we watched these two cows go after each other.
Yellowstone
Wyoming