A tourist has had a lucky escape after a close call with a boar at a national park.
In a video posted to the Tourons of National Parks Instagram page, the tourist can be seen trying to pet the wild boar from their car window.
The boar moved toward the car before turning aggressive and lunging at the tourist's hand. Luckily, the tourist was able to pull their hand back before any damage was done.
Wild boars are known to be aggressive and are known to attack if provoked. They also carry several diseases that can be passed to humans, including swine influenza and hepatitis, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The best way to stay safe when watching any animals at a national park is to give them plenty of space and observe from a distance.
The National Park Service recommends staying at least 25 yards away from all wildlife and 100 yards from predators like bears and wolves. Using binoculars or a zoom lens on a camera can be used to get a closer look without endangering any lives.
Close encounters with humans are also stressful for the animals, which can have a negative impact on their health and well-being. Stressful situations can cause changes in the behavior of these animals and, in extreme cases, cause them to abandon their young.
Interfering with young wildlife is also problematic because the stress it causes can be fatal, and even if the animal is OK, sometimes its own kind will reject it if they can smell human scent. According to Live Science, in 2016, a bison calf had to be euthanized after humans had interfered because it was rejected by its herd.
People in the comments were outraged by this tourist's behavior, with one person commenting, "You don't want to mess with a wild pig."
"Wild animal dude, not a Disney movie character," another added.
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