Visitors at Yellowstone National Park were stunned after a tourist was caught on camera walking dangerously close to a massive bison — apparently in an attempt to snap a selfie.
The viral clip, shared by Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalparks), shows the man crouching within just a few yards of the enormous animal, completely disregarding the park's safety rules. In the background, the bison flicks its tail — a well-known warning sign that it may charge — while bystanders nervously watch.
The post quickly racked up thousands of views and comments, with many users expressing disbelief that anyone would risk their life for a photo. "Tourons taking selfies with the bison," the account captioned, using the term touron — a blend of "tourist" and "moron" — often used to describe reckless park visitors.
Encounters like this are becoming increasingly common as park attendance surges and social media encourages risky behavior for the sake of viral content. The National Park Service urges visitors to keep at least 25 yards away from bison, which can weigh over 2,000 pounds and sprint three times faster than the average human.
Beyond the human danger, these incidents also put wildlife at risk. If a bison injures someone — even in self-defense — park rangers are often forced to euthanize the animal, meaning one person's careless stunt can have fatal consequences for an innocent creature.
Commenters were quick to call out the man's actions. "Team Bison all the way!" one user joked. Another wrote, "And then the rangers have to kill the bison because he hurt someone." A third added, "Nice sneakers. If his luck holds out, he'll have an extra 10 seconds before that buff runs him down."
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As one user summed up, the viral moment is a "prime example of natural selection at work."
The takeaway? Respect wildlife — and keep your distance. A selfie is never worth the life of a person or an animal.
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