In this instance, the tourons got uncomfortably close to a wolf. The footage shows some tourists maintaining a safe distance, but most others did not make way for the wolf as it crosses the road. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but it’s still harmful to a wild animal to get too accustomed to humans.<\/p>\n
The National Park Service warns visitors to stay at least 100 yards away from animals like wolves and bears. As an advisory article cautions<\/a>, “If you’re close enough for a selfie, you’re definitely too close.” Even seemingly docile large herbivores, like elk<\/a> and bison<\/a>, can be dangerous if they feel threatened. There’s usually at least one injury<\/a> per season that could so easily have been avoided.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, human encounters with wildlife also put animals in danger. If an animal injures a human, provoked or unprovoked, the animal is often euthanized.<\/p>\n Gray wolves are a relatively recent addition to the park; they were successfully reintroduced in 1995, and this has had a profound ripple effect on the entire ecosystem. As National Geographic reported, overgrazing by elk<\/a> was harming several other species, from the rodents denied hiding spots to bears being blocked from berries. Wolves brought the elk numbers back under control, and even residents of a nearby town felt the benefits as their drinking water’s quality improved.<\/p>\n Yellowstone is the oldest national park in the world, first established in 1872<\/a> by President Ulysses S. Grant, and it remains one of the most popular in the country. It’s home to over 300 species of birds and 67 species of mammals. However, visitors have a collective responsibility to treat these national treasures with respect.<\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, the post’s comments expressed annoyance at the poor behavior seen in the video. One said: “They should limit the amount of daily visitors, too many people. It’s like Disneyland out there now.”<\/p>\n Another fumed: “So much for respectable space for wildlife. Biggest problem. The wolf is becoming if not already habituated to people.”<\/p>\n Others were concerned for the animal, with one saying: “That poor wolf.”<\/p>\n TCD Picks \u00bb Upway Spotlight<\/p>\n \ud83d\udca1Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands<\/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 \t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t![\"Cool](\"https:\/\/www.thecooldown.com\/wp-content\/themes\/tcd\/assets\/images\/divider-icon-earth.svg\"){kind=icon}
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