Several tourists abandoned their vehicles to take photos and videos of a grizzly bear off the side of an active road in the Teton Mountains, Wyoming, effectively blocking traffic in the process.
As TouronsofNationalParks (@touronsofnationalparks) shared on Instagram, vacated cars lined the roadway as people crowded near the edge of a wooded area in order to catch a better glimpse of the wandering grizzly.
"No ranger around yet," read the caption. "Two hours later, still like this, and then four rangers. People just abandon their cars. … Main road with no pull outs."
Voluntarily moving into closer proximity to wildlife can put visitors in danger of a confrontation, yet this is far from the first incident of its kind. The TouronsofNationalParks page alone features several more examples of poor human-wildlife conduct just like this one.
Confronting a grizzly bear is dangerous for human visitors, but it also puts the animal at risk. Wild animals that attack or injure humans during hostile encounters, whether provoked or unprovoked, are often euthanized, meaning they often pay the price for tourists' recklessness.
It's important to practice common sense and abide by national park safety regulations when interacting with wildlife. For instance, the U.S. National Park Service has recommended that visitors maintain a minimum of 25 yards' distance from most wildlife — and 100 yards for predators like grizzly bears.
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"If you're close enough for a selfie, you're definitely too close," the NPS noted.
Meanwhile, as global temperatures rise and the land, water, and atmosphere all succumb to the effects, not all tourist destinations are what they used to be.
Making informed and environmentally responsible choices when you travel can help protect national parks and other natural landmarks while overall improving the quality of your vacation.
Responses to the original video expressed disappointment over the unnecessary traffic jam and the diverted tourist crowd.
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Definitely 👍 "Zero situational awareness," one Instagrammer commented.
"Note to self, keep windows rolled up and stay in the car in grizzly territory," wrote another.
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