Rocky Mountain National Park is home to some spectacular animals – elk, bighorn sheep, moose and bears all call the area home, making it one of the country's best spots for wildlife viewing. The National Park Service (NPS) warns visitors to keep a healthy distance from all these big mammals, but one visitor learned recently that the smaller creatures shouldn't be underestimated either.
One park visitor recently spotted two hikers taking a break to try and pet a marmot – only to receive a nasty scratch for their troubles. Photos of the encounter posted on infamous Instagram account TouronsOfNationalParks this week show one of the pair leaning down with her hand out to the large rodent, and according to photographer Abigail Guillory, it didn't appreciate the gesture.
