fossilesquePSA: Do not approach the wildlife.
Jo MiranGreater Jackson Hole, Wyoming resident here. Tourists here are far stupider and in greater number than you could ever imagine.
If you ever watch the show Yellowstone, there is a scene of a bus full of Chinese tourists taking pictures in front of a Grizzly eating a carcass. That scene is not hyperbolic.
ALoafOfBreadAt various parks, including in Wyoming, I have seen tourists:
approach a bison (within 15 ft or so) while holding a toddler. Multiple other people approaching bison. Bison can weigh over a ton and can be aggressive.
take a selfie with and then attempt to touch a male elk on its head. It actually charged them but didn’t commit and hurt them - just to scare them.
dozens of people taking severe risks when hiking in remote areas. In the desert, 10 miles out when it’s 90f+ wearing sandals with no water and no cover. Rushing by other hikers on a <2ft wide ledge with a 300ft sheer drop while wearing sandals and carrying their young child in a bulky carrier on their back, etc.
getting within 25ft or so of a male moose to get a picture, moose was visibly agitated. Moose weigh about a half ton and can be quite aggressive.
large groups of people following black bear female with cubs, on foot, for pictures - like 50ft back but still too close for their safety and for the bear’s safety, especially when they’re following it.
Frighteningly many people have zero respect for nature, treat national parks like theme parks, and put themselves, animals, and their children at risk for no good reason in situations that are 100% avoidable.
I saw several people try to go hiking like that at Red Rocks outside of Las Vegas when I was there.
It was summer. The temperature was 130F.
One time I decided to take a day trip to the Valley of Fire, not far from there. It was August and 116 degrees. I had it all planned out. Figured out which stops along the way were short enough for me to walk safely in the heat. Brought lots of water and was never to far from the air conditioned car.
I’ll be damned if I didn’t run into people wearing polo shirts and khakis. Carrying no water or anything at all to drink.
It’s like they were writing an instruction manual on how to get heat stroke.