A man has been caught at Yellowstone National Park giving a picture-perfect demonstration of how not to photograph the local wildlife, squatting down right beside a herd of bison to take close-ups at dangerously close range.
The man, wearing swim shorts and slides, completely ignored advice from the National Park Service (NPS) to stay at least 25 yards (23 meters) from bison and elk at all times, and to ideally watch them from the safety of a vehicle.
A video of the encounter, which you can see below, was shared online by park visitor Scott Hansen, and was posted this week on Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone – a page that calls out bad behavior at US National Parks (often involving wildlife).
The NPS frequently reminds visitors to keep their distance around wildlife, particularly when taking photos. Earlier this year, Park Rangers warned visitors explicitly about the dangers of getting caught up in the excitement of seeing animals and wanting to capture the moment for posterity,
"If you want to take a picture of the animals, use a zoom lens on your camera," wrote officials in a blog post in February. "If you are close enough to take a selfie, you are wayyyy too close. If you see an animal, you are responsible for backing up to a safe distance, even if the animal moves toward you."
Be bison aware
Like all wild animals, bison can be unpredictable, and although they may seem docile at first, their mood can change quickly. Females (cows) are more likely to be aggressive when defending calves during the spring, while males (bulls) can be short-tempered during the breeding season in late summer.
"Approaching bison threatens them, and they may respond by bluff charging, head bobbing, pawing, bellowing, or snorting," advises the NPS. "These are warning signs that you are too close and that a charge is imminent."
For more advice, take a look at our guides how to avoid being gored by a bison and wildlife safety: eight tips for surprise encounters.
- The best binoculars: enjoy watching wild animals from a safe distance
