Colorado Canyon Temporarily Closes Because People Won't Stop Taking Bear Selfies

Inside Edition
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People are determined to take their selfies to new extremes – even if it means risking their lives.

Read: Driver Behind the Wheel Using a Selfie Stick Records The Moment He Crashed His Car

Officials at the Waterton Canyon in Denver, Colorado had to find a way to control the new #BearSelfie phenomenon by temporarily closing to visitors.

In the bear selfies, a user takes a selfie with their back turned to the wild animal, meaning they are vulnerable for attack.

 

Mission Complete 💯🐻 🇨🇦#bearselfie #lifegoals #blackbear #whistler

A photo posted by Tom Altmann (@tomaltmann) on Sep 13, 2015 at 7:44am PDT

“It’s a poor choice from our perspective A.) to get that close to wildlife and B.) to turn your back, particularly on bears,” Matt Robbins, a Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman, told the ABC station 7NEWS Denver.

Bear selfies are being conducted at parks around the country but Waterton Canyon is the first to actually do something about it.

This summer there has been a number of incidents with bears in public places.

In August, 63-year-old Lance Crosby was killed by a grizzly bear as he hiked in Yellowstone National Park. The bear was later euthanized.

Also last month, a hiker in Connecticut was stalked by two black bears and one tried to bite her leg. "I just figure if I run, I’m his dinner, I’m his meat," she told INSIDE EDITION.

Read: Driver Takes a Selfie Behind the Wheel, Crashes into Tree

Another woman, Laurie Cooksey, was on a hike in Virginia when she was attacked by a bear.

“I know bears are really fast and I just really thought I wasn't going to make it," she told INSIDE EDITION.

But she fought back.

"I kicked him and hit him and he tumbled and fell backwards," she said. “He was kind of uneasy and that was just enough time for me to run back up to the trail."

Watch Below: Hiker Gets Stalked by Two Bears and Does Not Freak Out

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