Visiting national parks, zoos, or other places where animals can be viewed is a great way to learn more about the natural world. Unfortunately, some visitors lack the respect for wild animals, putting themselves and the animals in danger.
A video shared on Reddit has gained attention, showing what happens when you mess with a bison.
In the video (click here to watch the video if the embed does not appear), a bison is clearly seen being motioned to by children who are out of their parents’ car window.
As the poster puts it, “Kid gets rocked.” The animal can be clearly seen trying to headbutt the side of the car window where the kids are hanging out.
An article by Whiskey Riff puts the encounter into further context, explaining that the event happened at a safari drive-thru where visitors are explicitly instructed to stay fully inside their vehicles. Luckily, the kids in the video were unharmed.
Encounters like this frequently occur in Yellowstone National Park, where bison herds are seemingly everywhere you look. While the National Park Service recommends maintaining at least 25 yards from any animal (and even farther away from predators), some people just can’t stay away, resulting in instances like this one.
One Yellowstone tourist was knocked straight over by a bison, and a group of people were recently charged by one, with one person being gored by the bison.
While the potential dangers for humans are clear, with bison weighing in at up to 2,000 pounds, these sorts of negative encounters are just as dangerous for the animals. Whether provoked or not, a human encounter with a wild animal can result in the animal being moved to a new area or even euthanized.
The first step in protecting wildlife is respecting it. By maintaining a safe distance and following wildlife regulations, we can all keep enjoying the company of magnificent creatures like the bison. Educating your friends and family on issues like wildlife safety can help you go the extra mile in protecting animals.
Commenters on the Reddit post of the children being charged by the bison expressed their disturbance over the parents allowing such an event to occur.
“This level of reckless child endangerment needs to get fined by default every time it occurs,” one user said.
Another added, “That means get out of my park, in Bison.”
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