A tourist at Yellowstone National Park has proved that a fine-tuned physique doesn't necessarily mean a fine-tuned brain.
Park officials were disturbed that an individual had harassed multiple bears over the course of 24 hours, and footage of at least two incidents was handed over to Yellowstone law enforcement, according to Outsider.
One such video was uploaded to the Tourons of Yellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone) Instagram account, and while the caption noted the incident could have occurred in Canada or the state of Washington, Yellowstone officials confirmed to Outsider the individual was being investigated.
After seeing a black bear on a grassy patch by the side of the road, the touron opened a door and jumped down from a vehicle.
The bear decided it didn't have the patience for this idiot and quickly dashed into the trees.
But that didn't satisfy the touron (combination of tourist and moron), who then chased after the bear while it escaped. In an attempt to prove his dominance, he then removed his shirt and seemingly imitated a gorilla.
"What a degenerate!" one Redditor said.
Not only did the man commit a federal crime by approaching the bear, but he also did so on multiple occasions — and filmed himself doing it.
Though he was wearing sunglasses, his face was clearly visible, as was the interior of the vehicle.
Yellowstone requests visitors stay at least 100 yards from the park's bears to ensure both personal safety and that of the animals — though this wasn't the first instance of someone ignoring that guidance.
The National Park Service says that there is an average of one bear attack a year at Yellowstone, and this shirtless fellow was intent on adding his name to that list.
Unfortunately, should a bear attack, it's likely the animal will be euthanized, as it would present a risk to other park-goers who actually follow the rules.
Exploring national parks provides a great opportunity to connect with nature and, hopefully, inspire us to protect our home. However, treating the parks and wildlife with disrespect makes the experience stressful for other visitors, park rangers, and the animals.
It's clear that this touron had zero respect for the park's wildlife, and his actions could have had serious consequences. If the authorities do track him down, he could also face a park ban, a fine, or even jail time.
One woman who approached a group of bears at Yellowstone received a four-day jail sentence as well as a year of probation and fines of up to $2,040.
This man could be punished further, and Instagrammers were keen to see him receive some comeuppance.
"Some people should be banned — he's clearly abusing the privilege of being in the park," one user said, with another adding, "I wish that bear had turned and chased his butt back into the car. Karma is coming bud." A third user simply said, "This is disgusting."
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