With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Man Gored By Bison On Catalina Island Played Dead To Survive
A conservationist is recovering after a bison gored him on Santa Catalina Island this week, leaving him with a punctured lung and broken ribs.
The bison attacked Chris Baker, 43, near Isthmus Cove, around 8:40 a.m on Wednesday, the Press-Enterprise reports. At the time, Baker, who's the founder of an environmental nonprofit, American Conservation Experience (ACE), was checking out a new trail system on the island for a project proposal. He was walking along a hiking trail when he spotted the bison. Even though Baker tried to move away slowly, the animal charged at him, ACE said in a statement.
"He's pretty experienced, so this is not someone who is out there and doesn't understand animals," Matt McClain of the Catalina Island Conservancy told Reuters. "I kind of suspect that this was one of those crazy accidents."
Baker decided to play dead in hopes that the bison would lose interest and leave him alone, according to the L.A. Times. After the bison left, Baker managed to walk about a quarter of a mile down the trail to get some help. He encountered three off-duty firefighters who were backpacking in the area.
Support for LAist comes from
"At first, he kind of looked like he was out of the Walking Dead," Jay Williams, a Brentwood firefighter, told CBS Los Angeles. "He looked like a zombie. He had that sort of gate to him and he was holding pressure on his right lower flank and he just said, 'I need help.'"
Baker was airlifted to the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. His mother, Elaine Garan, told the Times that he suffered from a punctured lung and at least six broken ribs. ACE said in a statement that Baker is "currently recovering and doing well."
Bison attacks are extremely rare, according to the Catalina Island Conservancy, which works together with ACE. They said the last bison attack was in 2012, when a 9-year-old boy was tossed in the air by a bison. In 2007, a man was attacked, and suffered from a broken pelvic bone.
"We see them all the time," Chris Reade, a Los Angeles County Fire Department inspector, told the Times. "They’re usually not aggressive."
These animals were brought to Catalina Island in 1924 during a film production. However, they were left there and their herd grew. While they're normally kept behind a fence, this particular bison found his way out.
"Every once and a while, they get through that gate," McClain told the Press-Enterprise.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol. -
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails. -
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight. -
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.
Best of LAist