A video shared on Reddit is causing quite a stir — and not the good kind.
In the r/Banff subreddit, the clip shows a tourist in Canada's Banff National Park standing only about 15 feet from a wild black bear as he takes pictures on his phone.
"This should be a lifetime national park ban," wrote one user in response to the video.
While such a punishment may seem harsh, tourists who creep too close to animals for a better view or photo op are blatantly ignoring rules in place to protect both humans and wildlife.
Though it may be hard to imagine anything dangerous about a fuzzy black bear tromping through grass and flowers, wild animals are just that: wild and dangerous. They'll let you know if they feel startled, scared, or threatened, and you might not come out unscathed.
Many tourists have tested this theory for themselves. Two visitors at Yellowstone National Park were captured on film running for their lives after getting too close to a mama elk's baby. Another video from Great Smoky Mountains National Park showed a woman being relentlessly chased by an angry wild turkey.
Luckily, these tourists escaped unharmed, but that, unfortunately, isn't always the case.
Last summer, an 83-year-old woman was gored after getting too close to a bison in Yellowstone National Park. On average, one to two injuries from bison are reported, making them the most dangerous animal in the park.
Wildlife isn't always left unscathed by human behavior, either. If certain human interactions impact an animal's behavior in a way that threatens human safety or if the animal can no longer survive on its own, it may be euthanized.
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Definitely 👍 To protect the safety of humans and wild animals and to ensure natural areas remain open for current and future generations to enjoy, the National Park Service asks visitors to remain 25 yards from most wildlife and at least 100 yards from predators like bears and wolves.
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By following these rules, you can also avoid angry internet comments, like those directed at the tourist who got way too close to the black bear.
"What a reckless person," said another. "Not only towards himself but for the animal. Hope he is identified and fined."
"I live an hour from Banff and people like this are why I don't go there often," shared another individual.
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