A man was recorded recently marching right up to a grizzly bear by a Wyoming highway in an attempt to get a better photo of the animal, risking both his own life and that of the animal. The incident took place at Togwotee Pass, and the visitor got so close that the bear eventually decided to flee.
Bears, like all wild animals, prefer to avoid confrontations with humans, but can be unpredictable – particularly if they believe that they, their young, or their food source is being threatened. Any bear that attacks a human is likely to be captured and euthanized for public safety, even if the person was uninjured, so putting yourself in harm's way risks the bear's life as well.
This encounter (which you can watch below) was captured by outdoors enthusiast Joey Melton, and shared on Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone, which highlights bad behavior at US National Parks and other sites of natural beauty.
Other recent incidents have involved a man getting an antler through his car tire after taunting an elk at Yellowstone, and a woman practicing yoga on a cliff edge at Zion.
Irresponsible behavior around bears has been a serious problem at Togwotee Pass in recent years, with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Forest Service, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and Teton County Sheriff all urging visitors to be more careful and respectful around the animals.
"Interagency staff have witnessed wildlife viewers and photographers parking unlawfully on the roadway and approaching wildlife in an unsafe manner," wrote the FWS in a notice last summer, after several people were spotted in close proximity to bears and their cubs. "The behavior of wild animals remains unpredictable, particularly a grizzly bear with offspring."
Members of the public were advised to avoid areas where bears are active, and never approach them. Instead, the FWS urged people to remain in their cars, or stay at least 100 yards away. The service also reminded people to never feed bears or any other wild animals, to obey traffic signs, and to only stop in designated pull-out areas.
For more advice on how to stay safe, and how to handle encounters with different types of bears, see our guide what to do if you meet a bear,
