A video captured a tourist in Grand Canyon National Park hopping over a fence and promptly being approached by an angry local.
The Instagram account Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalparks) posted the short clip filmed by Abby Towns (@abby.e.towns). It showed a man jumping back over a fence and immediately encountering an older man. They were in each other's faces and speaking confrontationally.
The elder park visitor told the fence-hopper, "I'll put you over that." At the end of the video, a woman walked over to deescalate the situation.
The Instagram caption noted that it was a young woman and a man who had hopped over the fence. It's unclear exactly where they were trespassing, but it's assumed it was a restricted and protected area.
Whether the fence was keeping animals safe, preventing humans from falling off a cliff, or preserving the natural landscape, hopping a fence in a national park is never acceptable. If there's a fence, it's there for a reason.
While threatening violence is not the right solution, this kind of behavior can endanger animals, humans, and the environment. Walking around off-limit areas could lead to habitat destruction, ecosystem disruption, or a deadly situation.
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If this man had encountered a wild animal, such as a bison, rattlesnake, or bark scorpion, it could have turned into a life-or-death circumstance. It puts both the animals and people at risk. A distressed and panicked animal could injure or kill a person who appears threatening. And when this happens, the animal is often euthanized.
It's not just about wildlife. Humans could enter a hazardous area with unpredictable terrain and rockslides. Or they may be traipsing through and contaminating untouched land that houses countless species.
No matter why the fence was there, it's important to respect national park signage and barriers. Many Instagrammers felt this way, leaving irate comments.
One person sarcastically wrote: "The thing is that the barrier isn't for him, it's for everyone else. Simple stuff really."
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Definitely 👍 Another commented, "Punks are always entitled."
An informed person explained a potential consequence of this man's actions, saying: "Jumping the rail causes erosion and soil degradation. Personally I would have public shamed him by asking him why he feels so selfish and special to contribute to erosion? Desert soils are not the same as other places. You can't simply go off trail without causing hundreds of years of damage."
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