A woman decided to get a little too close to nature at Yellowstone National Park recently, sheltering behind a tiny rotten tree stump to record a huge bull moose just a couple of feet away. The visitor didn't flinch as the animal approached, putting an alarming amount of faith in a few inches of splintered wood.
A video of the close call (which you can see below) was shared online by tour guide explorewildplaces and Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone, which calls out bad behavior at the park. Other recent incidents have included a hiker shucking their shoes to take a barefoot stroll on Grand Prismatic, a person kneeling in front of a clearly agitated bison, and a man ripping off his shirt and chasing a wolf.
The National Park Service (NPS) warns visitors that animals at Yellowstone are wild and can be unpredictable, no matter how calm they may seem in the moment. The best and safest place to view them is from within a car, and you should always stay at least 25 yards (23 meters) away from bison, moose and elk.
Stay safe around moose
Moose are naturally more inclined to be inquisitive rather than aggressive, but they can attack people if they feel threatened, with serious consequences. They tend to react particularly strongly around dogs, which they see as wolves.
Earlier this week, a woman was charged and knocked down by a cow moose while walking her dog in the Rocky Mountains. As Associated Press reports, the animal headbutted and trampled her as she walked her pet on a wooded trail. She was taken to hospital for treatment, having been stomped on "several times".
"If a moose thinks a dog is a threat it’s going to react to it, and that’s normal for a moose," said Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
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