Footage of a stressful encounter between tourists and a wild animal at one of the United States' most iconic locations is circulating online as folks warn the uninitiated from aggravating protected species.
Tourons are tourists who flaunt or are ignorant of regulations in the places they are visiting. They are often spotlighted online when caught on video stressing out wildlife, damaging fragile ecosystems, or endangering themselves and others.
Footage posted by Tourons Of Yellowstone (@TouronsOfYellowstone) on Instagram shows a large group of tourists harassing a bison in close quarters.
"Be bison aware!!" warns the account owner.
A reasonably large group of tourists can be seen taking photos of the bison at close range as cars and campers, both legally and illegally parked, encircle the animal. The bison, showing visible signs of irritation, eventually scares the majority of them back into their vehicles before anything dangerous could occur.
While encounters like these are dissuasive, it is important to remember that nature belongs to all of us.
Psychologists claim that spending more time outdoors and developing a connection with nature makes individuals more likely to make more sustainable decisions; it can also be seriously beneficial to mental health.
Equally, it is definitely healthy to wonder if irresponsibility like that shown in the video above really fosters a stronger connection to nature for anyone involved. Regulations in National Parks and norms around exploring nature exist for a reason. Safety for humans and wildlife and the preservation of the sights people come to see are essential for encouraging a connection with the outdoors.
Even more important is the well-being of the wildlife. Experts go on the record saying human interactions like these can impact the stress levels of these animals and potentially impact their health in a myriad of other ways.
Folks interacting with the post are worried for all parties involved and, above all, grateful for the bison's restraint.
"That bison was very gracious!" wrote one user.
"They got lucky," said another.
One user had their finger on the pulse, writing, "It is always amazing more people are not injured by bison in Yellowstone."
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