Bison — the brown, fluffy trademarks of many of America’s public lands — are majestic and culturally significant creatures. But they can also weigh 2,000 pounds, are rather athletic, and aren’t exactly eager to welcome guests into their habitats.
In fact, Yellowstone National Park has seen more injuries from bison than any other animals, according to a New York Times article from May of this year.
On average, there are one two two reported incidents of bison injuring visitors — but there are also plenty of unreported close calls (and even some scary encounters with canine companions!)
Earlier this year, for instance, an 83-year-old visitor was gored by a bison that was defending its space in Yellowstone, sustaining serious injuries after being lifted about a foot off the ground by the bison’s horns.
With human-wildlife encounters on the rise, the National Park Service and tourism boards are coming up with clever ways to remind visitors about safety rules, while still encouraging responsible tourism.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming — which is home to parts of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park — has just launched a new Instagram filter: Selfie Control.
“We’ve all seen the videos on social media: someone gets too close to a bison for a selfie and the next thing you know, they are on the news with wild-animal-induced injuries,” a Visit Jackson Hole web page explains.
“‘Getting the shot’ is not worth the risk to you or the wildlife, and a little self control can go a long way in Jackson Hole.”
It works like this: Jackson Hole visitors can search for the filter on Instagram and navigate through the animal options on their screen to identify the type of wildlife they are looking at.
If the animal appears bigger than the icon on the screen, the user is too close and they need to move back. Once they reach an appropriate distance, they can take a photo and tag @visitjacksonhole when sharing on the app (either as a Story or static feed post).
“Selfie Control is your reminder that viewing and taking photos of wildlife is allowed and acceptable, but staying the appropriate distance is more than a suggestion,” the tourism board writes. “It’s a requirement — for your safety and the safety of the animal.”
While it might seem like the threat only goes one way, wild animals are certainly impacted by encounters with humans. As a result of negative experiences with people, wild animals can be cast out from their herds, or may avoid revisiting these areas altogether.
Not only does that mean visitors won’t be able to see or take photos of these beautiful animals, but the animals themselves might not have access to their safe habitats, putting them at risk to predators, population decline, or disease.
Official guidelines include giving bears, wolves, other large carnivores, and large nesting birds at least 100 yards of space. All other animals — like bison, elk, and moose — need at least 25 yards of space.
The tourism board acknowledges that it can be tricky to guess those distances on the scene, so the app aims to help make it a little easier.
“For professional photographers and amateurs alike, it’s hard to tell if a moose or bison is 25 or 100 yards away just by ‘eyeballing’ it, especially when you’re in a place like Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Park, with sprawling, wide-open spaces,” the Selfie Control webpage says.
According to Crista Valentino, the executive director of the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board, the filter was created after officials noticed a “really big increase” in human-wildlife encounters.
She believes a rise in national park visitors and the emergence of high-quality smartphone cameras are to blame for the growing trend.
“Many [guests] are coming without the information of knowing and understanding that these are wild animals, that this is not a zoo, and that these animals need space,” Valentino tells ABC News.
“It's our hope that the filter can allow other wild destinations that are home to wildlife to keep their visitors and wildlife safe as visits are sure to increase during the summer travel season.”
And if the threat of one’s safety — or the danger it poses to the animals itself — isn’t enough of a motivator to abide by these wildlife rules, each violation can result in fines up to $5,000 and six months in jail, according to the Washington Post.
Plus, if visitors are especially interested in the local wildlife, they are more than welcome to take a tour led by an expert guide.
After all, humans probably wouldn’t like their personal space invaded by an unexpected house guest, either.
“Wildlife are at home here in the Tetons, even if it’s on the side of the road or trail,” Visit Jackson Hole says. “Humans are just guests.”
Header images courtesy of Visit Jackson Hole
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