California ? A backpacker fell prey to one of Southern California’s lesser-known hazards: being gored by an American bison on Santa Catalina Island.

Jardrec Anangos was recovering from a fractured pelvic bone, a sore back and an open wound after he was attacked Wednesday by one of the descendants of a bison herd brought over to film a silent movie in the 1920s.

“All I can say is I’m happy to be alive,” he said.

The bison “didn’t like me standing that close and charged me,” he said.