Onlooker captures infuriating video of park visitors' reckless behavior near wildlife: 'Please stay away from the animals'

A bystander captured footage of irresponsible tourists, and the internet was not amused.

"More tourons in Mammoth!" TouronsOfYellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone) wrote in a post on Instagram, sharing a clip of two visitors mere feet from a majestic elk with their backs turned.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TouronsOfYellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone)

"Keep 25 yards away from all the elk in Yellowstone!" the post added.

Elk are "the most abundant large mammal found in Yellowstone," according to the National Park Service. In the summer, there are up to 20,000 of them from six to seven herds. So it should come as no surprise to see some wandering close to human-trafficked areas. But it is dangerous to approach them.

There are plenty of videos of tourists underestimating the danger of human-wildlife interactions.

For your safety, the NPS requires visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from elk. Considering that an adult male elk weighs between 700 and 1,100 pounds, as the U.S. Forest Service states, putting some distance between you and them is only logical.

Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City?

The NPS also says to stay 100 yards away from predators like bears and wolves. It is also important to never feed them. Otherwise, they may become dependent on human food and turn aggressive.

The risks are just as serious for the animals as they are for humans. Callum, for example, was a stag living in the Scottish Northwest Highlands until he was put down. Why? Likely because he had been fed human snacks for years, which caused his health to deteriorate and his teeth to rot, preventing him from foraging for his own food.

Instagram users aware of the risks for both humans and wildlife are outraged by the reckless behavior observed in the footage, even though the elk in it was peaceful at the time.

"Cow elk can kill you, too," one of them commented.