Footage showing a man with a camera walking to within feet of a bison in Yellowstone National Park is generating a powerful response on social media.
The man has been criticized for reckless and illegal behavior. Commenters also lambasted the parents of a child who is shown jogging in front of the bison with his cellphone.
“Disgusting. Remove them from the park, fine them, and let the big Buffalo give them what they deserve,” reads one of more than 250 comments on the Mountain Journal Facebook page.
The footage was captured in 2020 by Brian Genge. It gained new life two weeks ago after Genge posted the top clip as a Facebook reel. (A minute-long YouTube version is posted below.)
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It shows the bison standing on a road in Lamar Valley as the man sneaks up behind and alongside the bison, while other tourists watch safely from their vehicles.
The kid shown running in front of the bison was with another party, Genge told FTW Outdoors.
“I was filming from a safe distance with a large telephoto lens,” Genge said. “I initially was just going to get a silly video of the bison blocking the road when to my surprise [the man and kid] came close.”
It’s worth noting that at least three Yellowstone tourists have been gored by bison this season. The animals are generally tolerant, but unpredictable and astonishingly quick.
Park regulations state that people outside vehicles must stay at least 25 yards from bison. But there are more than 5,000 bison in Yellowstone; the rule is often violated and nearly impossible to enforce.
In the footage, after the man approaches the bison, more vehicles arrive, flanking the animal. So there are vehicles on one side and the man crouched in a photographer’s stance on the other.
The bison was hemmed in and that’s typically when the animals feel threatened and lash out.
Thankfully, however, the animal merely paused for a few seconds before strolling out of the frame while grunting its apparent disapproval.
Reads another observation beneath the Mountain Journal post: “That’s an incredibly patient bison.”
