Man turns his back to moose to take selfie in national park. Don’t do that, rangers say
A tourist entered a closed meadow to take a selfie with a moose — and park rangers are mad.
Rocky Mountain National Park tourists are required to stay at least 120 feet away from moose and bears.
One man, however, turned his back to the moose to take a picture with it after he walked into a closed meadow at the Colorado park, rangers said.
“The park visitor is in a closed meadow - a meadow that is closed this time of year to protect wildlife,” park rangers said. “The young bull moose is demonstrating his concern by laying his ears back.”
Park rangers did not say if the man was hurt, but they said his actions are an example of what not to do in national parks.
Moose can weigh up to 1,500 pounds, and they have long legs to kick their predators, according to the National Park Service. Some moose can be unpredictable, especially during mating season.
They’re speedy animals and can run up to 35 mph, the National Park Service said.
“All wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park are wild animals and they should be given respect and space to be ... wild,” park rangers said. “If an animal is reacting to you, you are too close.”
Similar rules should be followed at all national parks. In some cases, people have been sentenced to jail time after approaching wildlife.
In Alaska, three men got into the Brooks River, which is known for its bear activity, to take selfies, McClatchy News reported. They came within 50 yards of brown bears that were feeding in the water.
Men entered Alaska river and took selfies with bears, feds say. They’re off to prison
Two of the men were sentenced to one week in prison and ordered to pay a $3,000 fine, the Attorney’s Office said. The third was sentenced to 10 days and prison and will pay the same fine.
The judge who sentenced the men called their actions “drunken capering, and a slap in the face to those who were there.”
Last year, a woman from Illinois was sentenced to four days in jail and one year of probation after she was seen on video walking toward a grizzly in Yellowstone National Park, McClatchy News previously reported.
It appears in the video she was taking photos or videos with her phone when the bear started to run toward her.
She pleaded guilty to the charges and was ordered to pay $1,000 to the Yellowstone Forever Wildlife Protection Fund, the nonprofit partner of the national park, as well as other fines and fees.
Yellowstone tourist gets jail time after video showed her too close to bears, feds say
In 2018, an Oregon man was sentenced to 130 days in jail after he was seen on video taunting a bison that had stopped traffic, the Associated Press reported.
The man was banned from Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier national parks for five years.
“If you cause an animal to move, you’re too close,” park officials said. “It’s illegal to willfully remain near or approach wildlife, including birds, within any distance that disturbs or displaces the animal.”
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