Videos of tourists petting bison and taking selfies in US national parks have gone viral, with many calling the behavior “insane”.
In one video posted on TouronsOfYellowstone On Instagram on May 22nd, credited to Russ Bjorn, a woman is seen reaching out to touch a bison while a friend takes a photo.
However, the wild animal that was feeding at the time immediately reacted and lunged at the woman, who flinched, fell to the ground and fled.
Frightened cries of the group can be heard in the background.
The footage was shot in Yellowstone National Park, an American national park located in the western United States.
Meanwhile, another video went viral showing a woman just inches away from a bison resting in Biscuit Basin in the national park.
She has been spotted taking selfies with the large creature sitting on the grass and eating.
“She was trying to stroke it. It was insane. Like inches,” TouronsOfYellowston captioned the clip credited by Helloquan.
“Her arrogance was so infuriating. People told her to get out of there, but she kept posing for like 10 minutes.”
Luckily, the wild beast didn’t react and she managed to escape unscathed. But the tourists’ “reckless” behavior has been criticized and many are outraged.
“People should be arrested for things like this. That’s why ignorance like this keeps hurting people,” one person commented.
“I was lucky I didn’t have a calf with me,” wrote another.
Another person added: “All for selfies. Indulging in entitled ignorance. Our future, hmm.”
An Instagram page dedicated to the national park posted three more videos in a row of tourists trying to take selfies with bison, adding: “It’s only a matter of time before humans fly!”
The National Park Service (NPS), a U.S. government agency, warns tourists to stay at least 25 meters away from bison, threatening to approach them and bluffing them or shaking their heads. , paw slapping, yelling and snorting, he added.
“These are warning signals that you are getting too close and that charges are imminent,” the report said. website.
“Yellowstone’s animals, however gentle they may appear, are wild and unpredictable. The safest (and often best) view of wildlife is from your car.”
He also warned that bison hurt more people than any other animal in Yellowstone.
“If bison are near campgrounds, trails, trails, parking lots, or development areas, give them space,” he continued.
“If necessary, turn around and follow a different path to avoid contact with nearby wildlife.”
According to NPS, Yellowstone National Park is home to one of the most important bison herds in the United States.
This is the only place in the country where nearly extinct animals have survived from prehistoric times.
It is home to a large number of bison, between 2,300 and 5,500. About 5,900 bison were counted in the summer of 2022.
