Bystander stunned after parent approaches dangerous wildlife with toddler: 'Never in a million years did we think we would witness'

A Toledo photographer recorded something unbelievable — tourists at Yellowstone National Park approaching bison with tiny children in tow.

"Never in a million years did we think we would witness such stupidity. We warned them right before recording."

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A post shared by TouronsOfYellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone)

In Jennifer Gunderson's (@jennifer_gunderson_photography) original video, reposted on the Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone), a voice says, "Let's just take our kids right to a bison. Oh, my God."

An adult holding a toddler's hand walks toward a large bison. As they get closer, the adult lets go and the kid starts running even closer. Another adult holding a baby and the hand of another child also approaches the giant animal.

When people intrude on wild animals' space, they ignore the facts of nature and endanger themselves, their children, and the creatures.

AP News reports, "Bison have gored several people in Yellowstone in recent years, often after they got too close to the animals."

Animal attacks are relatively rare in national parks, but they do happen, mostly when people don't heed warnings or instructions.

For example, as Outside explains, people are more likely to be bitten by alligators if they swim in alligator habitats, like when a woman survived being bitten by an alligator after swimming in stagnant water in Everglades National Park. And people are more likely to encounter a mountain lion if they're quietly hiking alone, rather than chatting with a group.

The animals suffer, too. A baby bison had to be killed, according to AP News, at Yellowstone in 2023 because a man attempted to help it by picking it up and moving it onto a roadway. After that, its herd would no longer accept it, so it was sadly euthanized.

One good thing is that when stories like this are publicized, others can learn how to be safer.

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Commenters were shocked by the people's proximity to the bison and concerned for the children and for the animals. Many people called it "child endangerment."

One person wrote, "Then when the wild animal behaves like a wild animal, parents are going to want the animal put down."

"Darwin has entered the chat," said another.

One commenter suggested harsher reactions for park visitors who risk the lives of people and animals, writing, "People need consequences that go here and can't follow the rules … actual tickets … as well as being banned from all National Parks and Forests."

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