Spotting wildlife in their natural habitats can be an exciting experience, but when people disrespect and scare wild animals, things can quickly become dangerous.
One Instagrammer shared a video of a mama bear leading her cub through a wooded area near the road. In an instant, a bright camera flash went off and scared the cub up a tree.
The Instagrammer and wildlife photographer Onewildlifer (@onewildlifer) wrote, "A great example of why we should not use a camera flash when taking wildlife photos."
Onewildlifer explained the bears were trying to get across the road, and a line of cars stopped to observe them. One disrespectful onlooker began using flash photography.
As the terrified cub clung to the side of the tree, more camera flashes went off, scaring the small animal further up the tree. Onewildlifer wrote, "That cub was so scared it stayed in the tree for close to five minutes while mom paced back and forth trying to coax it down."
The Instagrammer went on to explain that flash photography can terrify wildlife and affect their vision, putting them in danger. Startled wildlife have been known to react defensively as well, putting nearby people's safety at risk.
Unfortunately, when incidents such as this happen and result in an animal injuring a human — provoked or unprovoked — the animal may be euthanized.
Because of the risks involved in interfering with wildlife, many public outdoor spaces like parks have rules to guide visitors' behavior in order to keep everyone — including wildlife — safe.
The National Park Service notes that witnessing animals in their natural habitat is a privilege that comes with responsibilities. "Simply put, leave animals alone — no touching, no feeding, no harassing," the NPS website states. "Just remember to keep your distance, and enjoy your experience watching wildlife."
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Onewildlifer advised other Instagrammers to "use great care and avoid flash photography" around animals in the wild.
Other Instagrammers were saddened to see this poor display of onlooker behavior. One user said, "Sounds like a scary moment and definitely feel sorry for the bears. Wish people had more respect."
Another user wrote, "Unbelievable!"
Sympathetic to the bears, one user shared, "I feel bad for the little cub and its mother."
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