There is nothing quite like watching animals in the wild, but getting dangerously close is reckless and can cause harm to both people and wildlife.
Yet, the Instagram page Tourons of Yellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone) exists because people engage in dangerous behavior. A post showing a selfie taken of a woman in front of a bison demonstrates how reckless some people can be.
The selfie of the woman, taken in Yellowstone National Park, a mere few feet from the bison, sparked outrage online as people flocked to the comments to criticize the person's behavior. "They'll never learn," wrote one commenter.
Tourons is a playful combination of the words tourist and moron, but the behavior these people engage in is anything but playful. Getting too close to wildlife is dangerous for everyone who is close by. Wild animals can be unpredictable, especially when feeling threatened or looking after young, and this can lead to dangerous and even life-threatening situations.
In addition to being dangerous for people, this is also dangerous for the wildlife. Animals that injure humans are often relocated or euthanized, which is a sad ending all around for a situation that could be easily avoided if people took proper precautions.
The National Park Service advises staying 25 or more yards away from most wildlife and 100 yards from bears and wolves. Some parks even require you to stay a minimum of 50 yards away from wildlife, so it's best to check the rules before you visit.
The bison population in Yellowstone National Park is the nation's largest population of bison on public land. As a keystone species, they play an important role in creating and maintaining habitats for many different animals in the Great Plains area, including grassland birds and different species of plants. This helps to maintain a healthy and balanced ecosystem that provides many benefits to both people and wildlife.
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