Tourists visiting a wildlife refuge in New Mexico received a scare when an oryx charged at them after they got too close.<\/p>\n
The incident, posted on the Tourons of National Parks<\/a> (@touronsofnationalparks) Instagram page, occurred at the San Andres National Wildlife Refuge<\/a> just outside of Las Cruces.<\/p>\n In the video<\/a>, the oryx can be seen charging at a person, leading with its horns, when the park visitor and their friend get too close for comfort. Other people, who are also too close, can be seen moving away from the scene as the oryx changes direction.<\/p>\n Although not native to North America, the South African oryx was introduced to the area in 1969. The large desert antelope has long, spear-like horns and can reach speeds of up to 37 miles per hour, per Working with Wildlife<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Tourons of National Parks Instagram page is filled with incidents of people behaving recklessly in national parks by getting too close to wildlife or not adhering to the rules. National parks and other wildlife refuges have clear guidelines on the distance that people should keep from wildlife to protect themselves and the animals from harm.<\/p>\n The National Park Service<\/a> recommends staying at least 100 yards away from big wildlife such as bears and wolves, and 25 yards from all other wildlife, including bison and elk. This helps ensure an enjoyable park experience that doesn’t cause stress to the people visiting or the animals, and prevents wildlife from getting too accustomed to human presence, which can also be dangerous.<\/p>\n There have been several instances of animals having to be euthanized because they have either attacked people or been fed by tourists and have learned to associate people with food, which creates perilous situations.<\/p>\n Commenters couldn’t believe how these tourists put themselves in harm’s way.<\/p>\n “They think they’re in no danger and could end up dead!” wrote<\/a> one commenter.<\/p>\n Another added<\/a>, “Oryx are SO dangerous! There was one up on White Sands Missile Range that had a dead coyote dangling off one horn for a while.”<\/p>\n Join our free newsletter<\/a> for good news<\/strong> and useful tips<\/strong>, and don’t miss this cool list<\/a> of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.<\/p>\n