Tourists ignite backlash after rule-breaking video surfaces from national park: 'Time to limit crowds'

Yellowstone has the distinction of being the world's first national park. It has also gained attention online for the dangerous actions of visitors.

A video shared by Cowboy State Daily highlighted a dangerous instance of this bad behavior.

In the video, a mother grizzly leads her cubs across a road lined with dozens of visitors and vehicles. While most people observed from a safe 100-yard distance, some photographers moved in for a closer look.

According to Cowboy State Daily, Andrea Baratte, the tour guide who shot the video, repeatedly asked the photographers to move back. He was ignored.

Grizzly bears are a threatened species. Yellowstone's rules warn visitors to stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and at least 25 yards away from all other animals, like bison and elk. While seeing a grizzly bear in the wild is exciting, it's impossible to predict a bear's behavior — especially a protective mother with cubs like the one seen in the video.

While bear attacks are rare, the National Park Service encourages visitors to avoid encounters that could escalate into attacks. That Instagrammable moment isn't worth the risk. 

Unfortunately, Baratte said bad behavior by tourists has become a common occurrence.

"In the short time that I've been guiding, I would say the crowds have been worse on a yearly basis," he told Cowboy State Daily. "The behavior I've seen so far (this year) is unbelievable. And it's only May."

Park rangers frequently have to intervene when tourists approach bears, feed animals, or try to pet bison. Not only is this reckless, but it can also be life-threatening.

While visitors might be well-meaning, their behavior could get the animal killed. If a wild grizzly is provoked and gets aggressive or attacks, it could be euthanized. 

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Feeding wild animals teaches them to approach people, which increases the chances of an aggressive encounter and encourages them to enter urban areas looking for food.

National parks offer an opportunity to experience the world's natural wonders and serve as reminders of why conservation is so important, but it's crucial to experience them safely and responsibly. 

By being a good steward when you visit a national park, you help ensure that these unique places — and animals — will exist for generations to come. 

Commenters on the video expressed their frustration that visitors were too close to the grizzly bears.

"[Too] many people! Leave them alone!" wrote one.

"Time to limit crowds," another agreed.

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