On the r/yellowstone subreddit, a user posted some concerning screenshots from Yellowstone National Park's Old Faithful webcam. In the photos, a group of tourists is seen getting too close for comfort to a wild bison.
"25 yards never looked so close," the caption read, referencing one of Yellowstone's most important rules — stay at least 25 yards away from bison, elk, and other assorted wildlife at all times.
While some tourists maintained distance, many others in the photo did not, getting up close and personal with the animal to take pictures. Not only is this illegal, according to Yellowstone's official website, but it's also dangerous.
According to the U.S. National Park Service, bison can run up to 35 miles per hour, jump six feet vertically, and can weigh up to 2,000 pounds when fully grown. With their sharp horns and massive size, they're responsible for more injuries than any other animal at Yellowstone, per the park's website.
Unfortunately, the tourists in the screenshot aren't the only ones who don't heed the park's warnings. One man attempted to feed a bison at the national park — another big no-no — and narrowly escaped injury after it charged at him. Other visitors ignore Yellowstone's strict pet rules and let their dogs run around the park unleashed; one pit bull ran up to a bison and got sent flying.
Commenters shared other close calls they've witnessed with bison.
"I saw a [young bison] charge tourists in GTNP [Grand Teton National Park] when we visited earlier this month," one commenter wrote.
"When I visited last summer there was a bison in front of the Old Faithful Inn and another in between the buildings at the Canyon Lodge," another commenter shared. "... People clearly test the limits with them all day long. It definitely gives [them] a false sense of security. I assume it's a matter of time before someone gets gored."
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