Photo:Hellen Jack/NPS
Hellen Jack/NPS
A bison calf is dead after a Yellowstone National Park visitor allegedly “disturbed” the animal, the park said in anews release.
Yellowstone National Park said the incident happened on May 20 when a man in his 40-50s, wearing a blue shirt and black pants, approached a newborn bison calf in Lamar Valley, located on the park’s northeast corner.
The visitor helped push a calf that had gotten separated from its mother up and out of the Lamar River and onto the roadway, where the animal approached cars and people, “causing a hazardous situation,” according to the park.
“Approaching wild animals can drastically affect their well-being and, in this case, their survival,” the park said in the release, adding the park’s regulations require people to stay at least 25 yards away from all wildlife and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves.
“Disregarding these regulations can result in fines, injury, and even death,” the release continued. “The safety of these animals, as well as human safety, depends on everyone using good judgment and following these simple rules.”
Yellowstone National Park said the incident is currently under investigation and asked that anyone with information on the visitor who disturbed the calf call the Yellowstone National Park Tip Line at 307-344-2132 or email them atYELL_Tip@nps.gov.
Several unfortunate run-ins between park visitors and bison have occurred at Yellowstone National Park over the past few years.
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Last year, a bison at Yellowstone National Parkgored a 71-year-old Pennsylvania womanwhen she “inadvertently approached the bison as they were returning to their vehicle at a trailhead. This caused the bull bison to charge” near Storm Point at Yellowstone Lake.
source: people.com
