A tourist, caught on camera in the Grand Canyon attempting to touch wildlife, was mocked online for her foolish behavior.

Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalparks) posted the video; the name "touron" refers to a combination of "tourist" and "moron."

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"This lady tried to pet the squirrel multiple times and ultimately succeeded. Nevermind the signs saying not to approach or pet wildlife," they wrote in the caption.

Commenters were disappointed, if not altogether unsurprised, by the footage. "Not the worst touron Grand Canyon video I've seen," one person said dryly.

"It's all fun and games till you have to get the rabies shots," another pointed out.

Indeed, attempting to pet or interact with wild animals is never a good idea, for the health and safety of everyone involved. As the OP pointed out in the caption, feeding and petting animals is strictly prohibited in U.S. National Parks, and those caught doing so can face fines starting at $100.

The risk to humans is obvious with larger animals, like bears and bison — which, shockingly, are still approached by tourists seemingly every day — but squirrels pose their own set of risks.

"They carry bubonic plague," one person said.

Another expressed surprise that the encounter didn't end in a bite, which is common with squirrels that become accustomed to human presence. "Go ahead keep tempting fate," they wrote.

Harassing animals is often dangerous to the animals, too. Human food can cause poor health effects or even death to animals. And becoming desensitized to the presence of humans is often fatal, as many animals who wander into human territory are euthanized in order to prevent an encounter.

Instead, whether you're in a National Park or not, it's always the best practice to keep a safe and respectful distance from any wildlife, for their safety and your own.

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