A video of a pickup truck stopping just in time to let an elk safely cross the road has made a lot of people angry.
The clip was posted by the Instagram account Good Bull Guided Tours (@goodbullguided) and showed a massive elk trying to cross the street when a pickup truck came to a screeching halt in front of it.
The elk was scared, backing up as the vehicle neared. Thankfully, the car stopped in time, and the animal crossed unharmed. But people still found the incident frustrating.
Roads in mountainous areas are often lined with animal crossing signs that warn drivers to go slow and be aware. Nevertheless, people still speed, endangering themselves, others, and animals living in the area.
"As Colorado has an abundance of deer and elk, as well as other wildlife, that live near our urban and rural areas, motorists need to be aware that they can cross our roads without warning at most any time of day or night," former Colorado State Patrol Chief Col. James Wolfinbarger said, per the state Department of Transportation.
People pointed out that this occurred on a clear, sunny day. They said the truck driver should've seen the elk from a mile away and slowed down or stopped much sooner. This reckless behavior endangers individual animals and whole populations.
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According to Born Free USA, every year, more than 350 million vertebrate animals are killed by vehicles. According to CDOT, an average of 3,300 wild animals are hit by cars annually.
This may seem like a one-off incident, but North American elk should not be taken for granted. In the 1900s, there were only about 40,000. Thanks to re-establishment efforts, there are now around 280,000, per Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Driving carefully in regions with wildlife protects these precious species. Without elk and other animals, food chains would collapse and ecosystems would topple, weakening biodiversity.
Driving slow doesn't just save one animal's life. It can make Earth a cleaner, cooler, and safer place for everyone.
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Aggressive 😡 Commenters were troubled by the driver's behavior.
"The truck was going way too fast, right?" one person asked.
Another wrote: "Crying shame how many animals get killed on the highways of Colorado. People should just slow down and enjoy the views!"
"Hey, truck driver," someone else stated, "these animals were here long before we were. Give them space."
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