Some tourists in national parks have a bad habit of getting far too close to wild animals. Most times, they do so to get a picture, but whatever the reason, it seems as if people aren't considering the consequences of this behavior.
Instagram user Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalparks) shared a video of several tourists watching a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. While the people were standing back from the bear, they still weren't as far as they should've been.
Tourons of National Parks captioned the video, "Please keep at least 100 yards from Grizzly Bears in Yellowstone!"
According to Outdoor Guide, grizzly bears can reach speeds of up to 35 mph, meaning the bear in this video could have reached those tourists in mere seconds if it decided to charge. Had that happened, the tourists could have been mauled or even killed in no time at all.
While bear attacks are rare, they do occur. For example, a grizzly attacked a hunter in Canada, leaving him with serious injuries, while another grizzly attacked two hikers on a trail, resulting in them being airlifted to a hospital.
However, it isn't only people who are in danger during human-wildlife encounters. Often, when animals attack, wildlife authorities will find the animal after the fact and euthanize it, whether a group of tourists provoked it or not.
These euthanizations lead to reduced animal populations, which can severely imbalance ecosystems. Grizzly bears are predators, and without them, prey could drastically outnumber predators, destabilizing soil and reducing vegetation due to grazing by prey animals.
As such, it's vital that tourists follow the safety measures laid out by national parks, which, in Yellowstone's case, include staying 100 yards away from bears, carrying bear spray, and congregating in groups of three or more.
When it came to these tourists, Instagram users were less than impressed with their behavior.
"Know what grizzlies call people like this? Lunch," one Instagrammer commented.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Another person added, "People have a death wish."
|
What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
$200 or more 💰 
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
