The National Parks Service (NPS) has issued a wildlife safety warning through a humorous social media post, cautioning visitors about getting too close to animals in national parks.
“Believe in yourself like visitors who believe they can pet a bison,” the NPS quipped on X this week, blending humor with a serious message about maintaining a safe distance from wildlife.
The post, which has garnered over 4 million views, received positive reactions from social media users who appreciated the advice and humor. “Parks is not messing around today,” one user commented.
While amusing, the message highlights a critical issue: the danger of approaching large animals, such as bison and caribou, for selfies or photographs.
In a follow-up post, the NPS provided safety tips, advising visitors to maintain a minimum distance of 25 yards from most wildlife and 100 yards from predators like bears and wolves. The guide also emphasized proper food storage to reduce wildlife attraction and encouraged reporting any encounters with wildlife, especially if the animals appear sick or behave unusually.
Last summer, the NPS issued similar warnings after several incidents at Yellowstone and Theodore Roosevelt National Parks. “Bison are large, powerful, and wild. They can turn quickly and easily outrun humans,” the NPS reminded visitors.