Family trips to national parks are a perfect way to connect with nature and teach children respect for the environment. But getting too close to wildlife could cause a family trip to go horribly wrong.
One tourist is facing backlash after letting his children get within touching distance of elk in Yellowstone National Park.
A video taken at Mammoth Hot Springs and posted to the Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalparks) Instagram page showed the father and his two children standing too close to a grazing elk.
The father received a lot of criticism from the page's followers. One person wrote, "25 yards is the general rule. If you can throw something and hit the animal, you're definitely too close!"
While another added, "Nice, front and center with the kids. And when they get hurt, he'll want the animal killed."
Unfortunately, this tourist risked his children being hurt by getting too close to the animal. Although they may seem docile, elk are strong and, like all wild animals, can be unpredictable, especially during mating season.
In addition to being incredibly fast, bulls have antlers that can cause some damage. Some have even been known to charge cars when feeling threatened by people getting too close or making too much noise.
Getting too close to animals also puts their lives at risk. Animals can be easily spooked by human presence, and their instincts will prompt them to defend themselves. However, attacking people often comes with a price, as animals involved in altercations with people are often euthanized. It's an unfair ending that could easily be avoided if people kept the right distance away.
The National Park Service states that people should stay at least 25 yards away from elk and bison and 100 yards away from predators such as wolves and bears.
Fortunately, this tourist seemed to avoid any harm this time.
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