Tourists caught on cam running towards mother black bear, cubs in Yellowstone
News stories of badly behaved tourists in Yellowstone National Park have been going viral all summer, and they only keep coming.
In the latest instance, a group of visitors were captured on video as they ran toward a mother black bear and her cubs in the Wyoming park.
South Carolina resident William Brice Spencer filmed the video while vacationing in the area. Though Spencer recorded the footage from a safe distance, a number of other Yellowstone visitors didn’t pay the same respect.
The bears appeared to be ignoring the nearby traffic on the road — and those rubbernecking from their vehicles.
Spencer told the social media company Storyful that as he was filming, he witnessed several people “sprinting towards a mama black bear with two cubs.”
Many from the group of tourists ran toward the bear and her cubs at full speed. One man carried a child in his arms as he sprinted toward the wild animal. The three bears fled the grassy area as the runners approached.
Spencer said a park ranger then arrived and ordered everyone back into their vehicles.
Yellowstone National Park requires visitors to stay at least 25 yards (23 metres) away from all wildlife, including elk and bison. Bears and wolves should be given at least 100 yards (91 metres) of space.
According to Parks Canada, one should never run to or from a bear, as it may trigger an active pursuit from the animal. Interacting with an animal with cubs especially is particularly dangerous, as protective motherly instincts can kick in.
Still, many recent Yellowstone guests have opted not to abide by safety regulations in an attempt to get closer to nature in the park. Larry Bloomfield, a tour guide for West Yellowstone, told the Montana TV station KBZK that human-animal
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