National parks are not petting zoos — and one tourist put themselves in serious danger.
Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalpark) is back with another moment that is stunning the internet. A video posted by the Instagram account shows a visitor to Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota, on the side of the road approaching and attempting to feed several goats.
The post's caption highlights instructions from South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks, which states that guests must stay at "least 100 yards (91 meters) from mountain goats" and that "feeding goats can habituate them to humans, leading to aggressive behavior."
There are a host of other rules this guest is breaking, like approaching, touching, and harassing wild animals and straying off the designated trails to do so.
Tourists may underestimate the danger of mountain goats, especially when compared to other park wildlife like elk and bears. However, these goats can still do a lot of damage, and approaching them is putting yourself, others, and the animal in danger.
The National Park Service warns that mountain goats can have horns that are large and sharp, and when they charge, they can seriously injure or even kill.
Unfortunately, it's happened before, with the NPS explaining that a mountain goat in Washington "fatally gored a visitor who was hiking in the Hurricane Ridge area of Olympic National Park." These rules are in place to prevent it from happening again.
Actions like those seen in the clip also risk ruining these gorgeous vacation spots for people who are respectful of the park service's instructions. If wildlife loses its fear of humans, it can pose an extra safety risk, which can lead to trail closures.
While the tourists in the clip are lucky the goat wasn't angry, the commenters surely were.
🗣️ Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty?
🔘 Definitely 👍
🔘 Only in some areas ☝️
🔘 No way 👎
🔘 I'm not sure 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"What is wrong with these people?" one user asked.
"There's petting zoos for that," another user said. "Don't approach wild animals, and try your best to avoid them approaching you."
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