Videos of overly curious tourists — often referred to as "tourons" — at the United States' most iconic locations are circulating online as folks beg for more respect for wildlife in national parks.
Tourons are tourists who disregard or are unaware of safety regulations in the places they are visiting. Such individuals routinely garner attention online for their actions in national parks, which can endanger protected wildlife, ecosystems, other visitors, and themselves.
A post from Tourons of National Parks (@TouronsOfNationalParks) shares footage captured by a bystander highlighting some dangerous touron behavior — a family nearly within touching distance of an elk at Grand Canyon National Park.
"The National Parks are NOT zoos!" bemoaned the account owner.
Two adults and two young children are visible watching the elk feed from the sidewalk mere feet from the wild animal. The elk does not visibly react to their presence, as it is likely accustomed to humans because of the highly developed nature of its habitat.
Nature is for everyone; nowhere is that more true than on protected public lands. A study in Frontiers details that psychologists claim that those who spend more time in nature are more prone to environmentally conscious decision-making. Furthermore, spending time outdoors can be beneficial to mental health.
However, the actions of tourons do not make nature more accessible. Ignoring regulations in natural areas makes it easy to damage the environment and diminish the experiences of others trying to strengthen their bond with the natural world.
While the parks are designed to allow people to experience nature and wildlife, it is paramount to consider the health of the wildlife while doing so. According to the Humane Society, close encounters with humans can stress out wildlife, and the CDC states that humans and wildlife are capable of passing viruses and diseases between one another.
Commenters on the post were less than thrilled with the folks captured on video, although some acknowledged that the infraction was minor.
"That is a wild animal and it's unpredictable," pointed out one.
"That's a bit too close," wrote another. "I will say though at the Grand Canyon Village, the Elk are accustomed to being among people."
"Sadly, I think people are under the assumption that they are at the zoo rather than in wildlife," a third echoed the OP's sentiment. "Wish people would learn to connect with nature more than the fake world of TV, internet, and zoos to understand the beauty and danger of being in the wild."
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