Having the opportunity to visit one of the United States' remarkable national parks is a joy for any traveler, domestic or international. Unfortunately, tourists often compromise the integrity of these natural areas. One such incident was recorded by a Redditor who witnessed several people getting way too close to a bison.
In the clip, shared with the Yellowstone community on Reddit, a group of about half a dozen tourists can be seen seemingly inches from a wild bison. They are walking along a boardwalk meant to protect the park's fragile habitats.
Plenty of people have chosen to ignore marked signs with safety instructions. Tourists have gone off the path near hot and acidic geysers and gotten much too close to wildlife.
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Humans can do irreversible damage to natural areas. Vandals have broken rocks, and thoughtless visitors have left trash that interrupted a delicate ecosystem.
As tourism in national parks has increased, issues with regulation and maintenance have also increased. Several parks added timed entry requirements in 2024. Outside wrote on the new rules, saying, "Not everyone is stoked on timed-entry reservations and additional permits as the solution, but the stark reality is that our country's national parks are reaching a tipping point, in terms of visitation."
These issues were clear back in 2018 when the Guardian examined the costs associated with park upkeep, and visitation has only risen since. They found, "In 2013, forest officials budgeted roughly $32,000 for toilet pumping across the Custer and Gallatin national forests (the two forests combined in 2014). So far in 2018, it has cost nearly $80,000."
The NPS works hard to educate visitors on safety. Nearly every park has a webpage dedicated to visiting the park with tips for how to keep the park natural and families safe.
The video sparked frustration on Reddit.
The OP added in the comments, "I saw one lady trying to pet it."
"I think the park system should ban people who are caught getting too close to wildlife," wrote another person.
Someone else said, "As a kid in the late sixties, I remember seeing people getting out of their cars to take pictures of the bears along the road in the park with food in their hands."
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