National parks are a privilege for us to observe plants and animals in their natural habitat in the great outdoors. However, some people bend the rules of these parks, putting their lives and the lives of animals at risk.
A video from Tourons of Yellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone) posted on Instagram shows a mother urging her daughter to go off-trail to get closer to a large elk.
In the video, the mother gestures for her daughter to move closer to where her mother and other tourists have gathered off-trail. The daughter stands on the trail with a few other tourists. When the daughter says no, the mother tries to convince her to come closer and hide behind a tree. The mother then relents.
"When your OWN mother tries to peer pressure you into being a touron with her... but YOU know better!" the caption read. "Yay for this smart young lady!!!"
A touron is a term used to describe a tourist who doesn't listen to rules and puts themselves and others in danger. Dating back to the 1980s, the term combines the words "tourist" and "moron."
National parks, like Yellowstone, have clear rules set to protect not only the animals and ecosystems but also the visitors to the parks. Animals that feel threatened can harm humans, which can lead to them being removed from parks, which can "include being humanely killed by park managers for safety reasons," according to the National Park Service.
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Unfortunately, national parks are not staffed enough to help prevent these types of incidents. According to NPR, staffing at national parks is at its lowest point in the 21st century. Perhaps that is why we are seeing more and more videos of people testing fate by getting close to animals and going off-trail. There are plenty of videos highlighting tourists getting too close to elk, bears, and bison.
When caught, tourists can face fines or charges for breaking these laws. A couple was charged for stealing from a Utah park, while a hiker was charged with a violation for going off-trail in Grand Teton National Park.
People shared their thoughts about this behavior in the comment section of the video.
🗣️ Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty?
🔘 Definitely 👍
🔘 Only in some areas ☝️
🔘 No way 👎
🔘 I'm not sure 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"Anyone else sick of people doing this for a photo opportunity?" one commenter wrote.
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"I seem to remember a time when people took pictures of wildlife from far away, and just of the wildlife?" another wrote. "Nowadays, everybody just wants a picture of themselves, standing an arm's length away with their back turned to a death machine."
"Bad parent. Smart kid," said another.
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