Pictures posted on Instagram showed national park visitors standing alarmingly close to a massive elk.
Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalparks) reposted two photos that showed a group of people standing just a few feet from a wild elk.
The caption clarified that the pictures were taken in Estes Park, a town in Colorado that's also a base for the Rocky Mountain National Park.
In the pictures, you can see at least a dozen people standing on the side of the road gawking at the elk. Traffic came to a halt, and a ton of cars were sitting on the street, presumably because people hopped out of their vehicles to get a closer look.
While elk are generally peaceful creatures, they can be provoked to charge or attack. One Estes Park visitor recently captured a video of a bull elk charging multiple times at tourists who got way too close, so they can be reactive.
Many of the people in these pictures appear to be standing less than 20 feet away. Park officials advise onlookers to stay a minimum of 75 feet away from wild elk.
Keeping a safe distance from wild animals protects people and the animals. Human-animal encounters can result in injury or death for the person, and the animal is similarly at risk.
Wild animals often charge or attack when they feel threatened. They're trying to protect themselves or their young. But these creatures are often euthanized in the name of public safety.
By avoiding encroaching on their space, you're keeping yourself and the wild animal safe, which is essential to national parks' and the planet's health. These animals have important roles in their ecosystems, and a healthy ecosystem supports a cleaner, cooler future for all.
Many Instagram users were infuriated by the behavior of so many tourists.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 One person commented: "The Tourists need to give that ELK Some serious space, Need to stay way back and zoom in. DAAAA !!! Need to respect their boundaries!!!"
Many other commenters felt officials should be doing more to educate tourists about safety and keep the wild animals safe.
Someone asked, "Where are the rangers??"
And another person wrote: "Police departments and the Colorado Wildlife division definitely need to start handing out huge fines and tickets for this kind of behavior. Completely unacceptable!"
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