Bears can sometimes appear cute and cuddly, but it's important to remember that most bears are nothing like Winnie the Pooh. Tourists in Yellowstone National Park learned this the hard way as they fled a charging bear.
A scary video posted to Facebook and written about by Unofficial Networks details the harrowing experience of several tourists who got way too close to a bear. In the clip, originally posted by Deby Dixon Photography, viewers can see a road crowded with people and cars; some people have even ventured into the woods.
The photographer who filmed the video gives a clear story of what took place. A large crowd of people went into the woods to look at a bear and her three cubs, who were eating. One bear fan allegedly got within 15 feet of the bear, prompting the bear to become aggressive and charge at the group of onlookers.
Most of these details are written in text, as the original poster was smart enough to stay in their car. As the bear charges, viewers can see folks streaming out of the woods. It appears that everyone got out safely, but it is disheartening to see people approaching the bear again seconds later.
At the end of the clip, it appears the authorities were contacted and the road was temporarily closed.
While these folks may be well-intentioned, just wanting to get a closer view of a bear and her cubs, it is incredibly ill-advised. As the Yellowstone safety page explains: "All of Yellowstone is bear country, from the trails in the park's backcountry to the boardwalks and parking lots around Old Faithful."
When rules about safety in national parks are disregarded, the animals and ecosystems usually pay the price. Some wildlife has had to be euthanized due to negative human interactions, while certain delicate ecosystems are disrupted or damaged. A thoughtless tourist nearly destroyed a cave ecosystem by leaving a bag of chips behind.
As one commenter on Facebook noted: "If the bear had charged and a human was hurt the bear would be destroyed!!! There is no humanity left in too many humans these days and no respect for others (human or the "animal" kingdom). The humans should have been fined for placing the bears in danger!!!"
Another added: "People will never stop treating Yellowstone like a petting zoo. Most humans live in a world that is isolated from nature and they just don't get that animals can be dangerous, nor do they understand how their actions can not only get themselves injured or killed, but the bears killed as well."
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Humans tend to have a lot of hubris, thinking things have been made for us, but natural spaces are preserved for the protection of wildlife, and visitors are lucky to get a glimpse.
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