Story highlights The 16-year-old Taiwanese exchange student was visiting the park with her host family

They were standing less than 6 feet from the bison when it struck, park service says

(CNN) A 16-year-old Taiwanese girl has been gored by a bison while posing for a photo in Yellowstone National Park.

The girl sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries from the attack on Friday afternoon, the National Park Service said in a statement over the weekend.

The 16-year-old exchange student, whose name wasn't provided by the park service, was visiting Yellowstone with her host family.

As they were hiking near the geyser Old Faithful, they stopped where a group of people had gathered to watch a bison grazing next to the trail.

"The girl turned her back to the bison to have her picture taken when the bison lifted its head, took a couple steps and gored her," the park service said.

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