A video shared by Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalparks) showed exactly why visitors should steer clear of bison.
The clip was shot in Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park. It showed a pair of tourists who had left their car on the side of the road to get pictures of a nearby wild bison. The bison was seen charging them, narrowly missing one, while bystanders hollered for them to get out of the way.
While these visitors emerged unscathed, others were not so lucky. At least two men over the summer were gored by a bison under similar circumstances.
Bison are one of the biggest dangers in Yellowstone. The National Park Service recommends keeping at least 75 feet away from most wildlife and 150 feet away from bears, wolves, and cougars, as they're particularly fast.
Bison are an important part of North American plains ecosystems. Their hooves and heavy build allow them to be terrain engineers, enabling the deeper infiltration of water and nutrients into the soil. Their grazing also helps keep wildfire fuel to a minimum.
Once upon a time, bison were nearly hunted to extinction, but strong protections and rehabilitation efforts have allowed populations to bounce back.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
Besides the immediate safety concerns of invading the space of a large wild animal, these repeated interactions can make wildlife overly familiar with humans. This makes them more prone to approach them for food opportunities and potentially attack. When acclimatized animals are identified, it can often force management personnel to euthanize animals for the sake of safety.
By taking local action to advocate for larger protected habitat, wild animals like bison can enjoy all the resources they need to survive without needing to rub shoulders with humans.
The Instagram community was quick to condemn the Yellowstone visitors who were clearly pressing their luck with the bison.
"Nitwits," wrote one commenter.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
"I really don't get, why they run," joked another community member. "if you are bold enough to get out your car and walk up on the bison you can stand there as well."
|
What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
$200 or more 💰 
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
