A group of tourists was caught on film getting entirely too close to a grizzly bear and her cub, sparking the internet's ire in the process.
The Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone) shared a video of an adult grizzly bear and her cub that were spotted near the Fountain Paint Pots at Yellowstone.
In the video, you can see several people who have gotten very close to the pair in an effort to capture them in a photo or video.
Grizzly bears are among the more dangerous creatures at Yellowstone. They can weigh over 1,000 pounds and reach a top speed of 35 mph, according to the National Wildlife Federation. On top of that, female bears are incredibly protective of their cubs and can become more aggressive than they normally would when the maternal instinct kicks in.
Grizzly bears are a threatened species in the United States, and direct contact with them is illegal under federal law. A bear that attacks humans is often put down to avoid further conflicts, so inciting one is essentially a death sentence.
The National Park Service recommends that all guests stay at least 100 yards away from bears to keep them from feeling threatened. In the event you encounter one, carrying bear Mace and making plenty of noise while standing your ground are advised, whereas running away may provoke it to pursue you.
Despite the danger, there are plenty of examples of people putting themselves in harm's way for a selfie. Videos of tourists getting close to black bears or feeding them from their cars have been called out before. Another tourist in Canada's Banff National Forest drew attention for getting entirely too close to black bears as he photographed them.
Commenters were quick to question the poor judgment.
"#ignoranceisbliss," said one.
"Do they have to witness a tragedy to learn?" asked another.
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Absolutely 👏 "They do not understand just [how] fast that big bear can move," said a third.
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