Park wardens condemned the stupidity of the tourists involved after they loaded the animal into the back of their vehicle.
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The park says this behavior is dangerous to both humans and animals: “In recent weeks visitors in the park have been engaging in inappropriate, dangerous, and illegal behavior with wildlife”.
“The bison was continuing to approach people and run along the road”.
The newborn had to be euthanised because its mother had rejected it as a result of “interference by people”, officials said. Rangers took the animal back to where it was picked up, but they could not get it back with the herd after several tries.
Rangers tried to reunite the calf with its mother, according to the park service, but it was ostracized by its herd.
Visitors brought the newborn calf to a park facility on May 9, which officials called a risky move because adult bison are protective and will attack to defend their young.
Park officials pointed out that “bison injure more visitors to Yellowstone than any other animal, ” and warned park visitors to respect wildlife and adhere to the safety rules.
We have contacted Yellowstone National Park officials to get a better understanding of the ticket handed out to the tourists, and what fine and/or punishment they might receive; we will update you if we get more details. “They were seriously anxious that the calf was freezing and dying”, said Karen Richardson, one of several parents chaperoning a group of fifth-graders on a field trip.
This Saturday, Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks are holding a special program to let visitors go along with rangers and scientists to document wildlife and plants in the park.
The park berated visitors for taking selfies and recording video near the bison, flouting regulations demanding people stay at least 25 yards away.
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Nor is it the mission of the National Park Service to rescue animals: our goal is to maintain the ecological processes of Yellowstone. The majority of Yellowstone National Park is located in Wyoming, though parts of it are also in Idaho and Montana. “The safety of these animals, as well as human safety, depends on everyone using good judgment”.
