National Park Service officials continue to face ongoing challenges with visitors engaging in dangerous behavior around wildlife, despite repeated warnings and safety guidelines. A recent incident at Yellowstone National Park has gained significant attention on social media, highlighting the persistent issue of tourists disregarding wildlife safety protocols.
In the latest occurrence, captured on video and shared on the popular Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone, an individual can be heard approaching a wild bison while making concerning statements about wanting to pet and ride the animal. The account, which has amassed nearly 570,000 followers by documenting inappropriate tourist behavior, noted that the bison was simply trying to rest and graze peacefully in the sun.
This incident joins a growing list of concerning interactions between park visitors and wildlife in 2024, including cases of tourists attempting to pet wild animals and, in one severe case, physically assaulting a bison that was crossing a road – an action that resulted in both hospitalization and arrest.
While Yellowstone reports that bison-related injuries are relatively uncommon, averaging only two incidents per year, these encounters can have severe consequences. In June 2023, an 83-year-old visitor suffered serious injuries when a bison approached from behind and used its horns to lift her more than a foot off the ground on the Storm Point Trail. Another incident in July 2023 resulted in significant abdominal injuries to a 47-year-old woman who was charged by a bison.
Yellowstone, which spans across Wyoming and parts of Idaho and Montana, is home to more than 6,000 buffalo and represents one of North America’s few locations where visitors can observe direct descendants of historical buffalo populations. The National Park Service maintains strict guidelines requiring visitors to maintain a minimum distance of 25 yards (23 meters) from large wildlife such as bison and elk.
The risk of unexpected encounters increases during breeding season, as bison move more frequently throughout the park in search of mates. The NPS emphasizes that if confronted by charging wildlife, visitors should immediately seek shelter in their vehicles or behind robust barriers. In situations where no immediate shelter is available, the agency advises running away from the animal.
Social media continues to document these concerning interactions, with another recent video showing a tourist hastily retreating to their vehicle after parking in the road and approaching too close to bison. The TouronsOfYellowstone account’s community has responded strongly to these incidents, with many commenters supporting the wildlife and condemning the reckless behavior of visitors.
These ongoing incidents underscore the critical importance of following park safety guidelines and maintaining appropriate distances from wildlife. Despite the natural desire to capture close-up photographs or unique experiences with these impressive animals, the NPS’s rules exist to protect both visitors and the park’s wildlife population.
The persistence of such dangerous behavior, even in the face of well-documented injuries and clear safety guidelines, remains a significant concern for park officials. As Yellowstone continues to attract visitors seeking to experience its unique wildlife, the challenge of ensuring proper interaction between humans and animals remains at the forefront of park management concerns.