While we’re at it: Use caution near dangerous waterfalls. You can see these animals at a safe distance with your eyes, cameras and scopes. It’s mostly for the animals' well-being but also for the safety of humans.Ī bison, elk and of course a grizzly bear will mess you up. There’s a reason park officials advise visitors to remain at least 25 yards away. I was about 20 yards away but retreated and gave the massive animal its space.Ĭlose-up encounters happen, and that’s why my first stop after I land in Bozeman, Montana, is an outdoors store for bear spray. Five summers ago while fishing a river near the Lamar Valley, I came around a bend in the river and saw a bison in the water. Later in the summer, I will head to Yellowstone, mostly to fly-fish but to hike and hopefully see a wolf, and except for handling trout, which is allowed while fishing, I will keep my distance from wildlife. I see the backpackers, campers, hikers and fly-fisherfolk exploring the outdoors in Colorado or using the airport as a layover to visit other parks, forests and wilderness areas in the West. Filmmaker Ken Burns has it right: The park system is among America’s greatest ideas.Ĭovering the NBA playoffs the past few weeks, I’ve been through the Denver airport multiple times. There are not many better places to connect with nature. It's time for tourists to start crowding America's national parks - Yellowstone, Glacier, Yosemite, Zion, Grand Teton, Arches, Great Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah and hundreds more - on spring and summer vacations. The man pled guilty to “feeding, touching, teasing, frightening or intentionally disturbing wildlife.”ĭuring Memorial Day weekend − and I can’t even believe I'm writing this − “visitors placed an elk calf in their car while likely driving on U.S. Highway 191 in the park and brought the newborn to the West Yellowstone, Montana, Police Department,” Yellowstone officials said in a news release.Īt this stage of life, I’m not surprised by much, but it doesn’t make it any less infuriating when humans disrupt nature like this. The calf was later euthanized by park staff because it was abandoned by the herd and causing a hazardous situation by approaching cars and people along the roadway,” according to Yellowstone officials. ![]() Park rangers tried repeatedly to reunite the calf with the herd, but their efforts were unsuccessful. ![]() ![]() Visitors later observed the calf walk up to and follow cars and people. Year after year, the warning is ignored, resulting in life-and-death encounters for animals and humans.Īlready this year in Yellowstone National Park’s Lamar Valley − known as the Serengeti of the West because of its diverse wildlife − a man “pushed (a bison) calf up from the river and onto the roadway. I won't be as polite as the pamphlet: LEAVE THE ANIMALS ALONE! This guide instructs tourists to stay at least 25 yards away from bison, elk and other wildlife, and to stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves. When entering Yellowstone National Park, a park ranger hands visitors a pamphlet full of helpful information. Watch Video: Tourist gets dangerously close to resting bison to snap a risky selfie
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