Elk may be cute, but they're still wild animals. A candid video taken in Gardiner, Montana, posted on the Tourons of Yellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone) page once again showed a tourist getting way too close to these animals.
The onlooker captured a woman standing directly in front of an elk and even touching it before it made a sudden move.
The OP tried to warn the "elk whisperer," as they wrote, "Afterwards, I told the gal I was worried about her and that she shouldn't be that close…Her response was- 'You just have to know how to talk to them!'"
Regardless of how well one can communicate with elk, they can appear docile one minute but quickly turn aggressive, as briefly seen in the video. Once wild animals become dependent on human food, they can suffer health consequences and start attacking people for access.
The woman in the video even went as far as touching the elk. That's a no-no, as these animals can "carry diseases like brucellosis and chronic wasting disease" and contact can stress them. Plus, some animals see an approach as a threat. As the video showed, shortly after being touched, the elk made a sudden move that indicated annoyance before the woman finally backed off.
That's why national parks have a set of rules to protect patrons, animals, and fragile landmarks. Per Yellowstone National Park Lodges, everyone should keep a safe distance of at least 25 yards from elk and other wildlife, as these animals are not only bigger and stronger than humans but can outrun them.
Another incident with a family of elk was a close call for some teens after the youngest animal charged at them. At Estes Park in Colorado, a group of tourists surrounded an elk herd at one of the most dangerous times — mating season.
Unfortunately, euthanasia is often the final result if one of these animals acts out after too close human contact, as reported by the Detroit Free Press. Sadly, one commenter noted, "They just put an elk down here in Michigan because people were feeding it."
Many commenters were "rooting for the elk" and outraged at the tourist's behavior and the poor results it could have on the animal.
"Sweetheart, you aren't a Disney princess!" quipped one commenter.
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