Yellowstone bison goring incidents highlight America's decreasing awareness of nature

[marmar]

By Dennis Jorgensen, bison program manager for World Wildlife Fund's U.S. Northern Great Plains Program


(NBC News) Bison are oh-so-fluffy, ambling, plant-eating animals that have long captured the world’s attention because of their majestic dignity. Increasingly, however, they also make headlines because of dangerous run-ins with tourists. Already this summer we’ve seen two high-profile bison gorings at Yellowstone, both caught on video.

As a resident Montanan, professional bison conservationist and neighbor of nearby Yellowstone National Park, I can understand why people feel the urge to touch these massive mammals. They are a sight to behold — both undeniably cute and seemingly oblivious to our presence. However, as a biologist, I assure you that they are keenly aware of our approach. They can and will respond with lightning-fast reflexes if we get too close.

Indulge me for a minute. The average NFL lineman weighs around 310 pounds, and the league’s fastest player has been clocked at about 23 miles per hour. In comparison, a bison can weigh more than 2,000 pounds and run more than 35 miles per hour. But unlike in the NFL, there isn’t a referee to blow the whistle when a bison feels threatened. They charge until the threat has been diminished.

Recent and ongoing injuries from bison gorings in parks and protected areas are tragedies for both people and bison. Bison aren’t out to get tourists, but with visitation in Yellowstone and other parks on the rise, wildlife is feeling more pressure than ever. Approximately 4.86 million people visited Yellowstone in 2021, its busiest year to date. American travel has exploded recently, as families cooped up during the pandemic embrace their summer vacations. But that (understandable) wanderlust comes with a cost. More broadly, more than 55% of Earth’s land is shared by people and wildlife. As our footprint extends even farther into wild spaces, encounters between people and wildlife increase, often leading to instances of human-wildlife conflict. ............(more)

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/yellowstone-bison-goring-incidents-highlight-americas-tourism-problem-rcna37363

[Javaman]

1. Darwin was right.

survival of the fittest doesn't mean the strongest, it means the most fit to adapt.

many people have given up or refuse to adapt and believe the world should "adapt" to them.

that philosophy doesn't work out very well

[gratuitous]

2. We visited Yellowstone a few years ago

We were at the area of the mud pots, and a bison came ambling into the area on the other side of a suddenly flimsy-looking three rail fence. I moved Mrs. gratuitous away with me, because it was incredibly obvious that should the animal get spooked or alarmed, it could turn in an instant into a fast-moving ton of angry bison with bad intent. I was shocked to see that we were the only ones moving away, as others got up close to the fence to pose and take selfies.

[2naSalit]

12. You know what else?

That bison is fully capable of jumping right over the fence too. They can clear up to about a five foot fence without much effort.

People have lost most of their natural sense and that's what will kill a whole bunch of us at some point.

[H2O Man]

20. More, they need not

jump over one -- though they can. Bison can also just bust through almost any fence. Decades ago, I lived on a farm, where the neighbors had "beef-alo." No fence stopped them. The neighbors were "city folk," who had an unrealistic concept of raising any type of cattle. Things like feeding them enough. Hence, they frequently broke through their fences, and our's. Very power, not friendly. Also, I remember when the Onondaga were raising bison on the Territory. Fences -- even very well-made fences -- were flattened when the bison determined that the grass was greener on the other side. Again, not animals that want to be petted.

[2naSalit]

23. When the state...

Dept. of Livestock rounds them up for the crime of leaving the park, they have to have solid eight to ten ft enclosures, it's horrible what they do when penned up.

Having been around the wild ones up close and personal I can attest that you have to be extremely wary should you encounter any by surprise.

[lapfog_1]

3. Problem is... a lot of people think that Yellowstone (and other parks) are "open air zoos"

years ago I took my niece to Kings Canyon national park. We were near one of the visitors centers and decided to hike a little bit on a well marked (paved actually) trail. We hadn't gone more than 100 yards when we heard commotion ahead of us. A fairly large brown bear was crossing the trail up ahead and headed up the hillside. I stopped and held my niece back... and we started slowly to back down the trail headed back the the parking lot. A family of tourists from Japan rushed by us to get closer... fortunately the bear ignored everyone and continued on his/her way. But if it had felt threatened or if there was a bear cub... it could have been much worse.

People simply have no respect for nature.

[2naSalit]

13. People simply have no respect for nature.

That really is it. No respect, for anything really.

[MontanaMama]

4. Decreasing awareness of nature is one piece of it.

Further, they apparently can’t read and digest basic bullet point information. There are signs everywhere stating that wildlife should be viewed at a distance.

[2naSalit]

18. It's frustrating...

Even when you have the authority to tell them to get away from the animals they get confrontational and claim you're ruining their vacation. And then they take a picture of your name plate and write up a complaint at the next ranger station. For the Ranger, it's three complaints from the public in a season and you're toast, no matter what the issue was, the Ranger is blamed for the experience. And not even your Sup will defend you.

So basically, the uniformed folks are merely a concierge to the tourists. Requests for adherence to the rules either contested or ignored. The Ranger cannot write tickets or issue warnings.

Anyway, the problems are internal and external simultaneously, not a good mix for the park.

[MontanaMama]

26. Seriously?

That is incredibly frustrating...and ridiculous!! I had no idea it worked like that. I haven't been to Yellowstone in so long...mostly because I don't want to deal with yahoos.

[2naSalit]

30. Yup.

It's why I moved to a less saturated with tourists area and I stay away from them as much as possible.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

35. That is nuts.

Rangers should have the necessary and sufficient authority to protect the land and wildlife under their care, for the public at large and from the individuals who might damage it by ignorance or malice.

[2naSalit]

36. The only way to make that happen...

Is to limit the number of visitors allowed in the per day and prohibit large vehicles like RVs unless they have reservations for a camp site and NO touring in the big RVs as many do.

As long as the park is mostly reliant on entrance fees, this will never change. It's all about the Benjamins.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

37. Sounds like Republicans strike again

We should do whatever it takes to protect and preserve wilderness areas. Once they're gone, they're gone.

[2naSalit]

38. Yup.

[Thomas Hurt]

5. Been to Yellowstone a couple of times. I always stay in the vehicle, us a big lens or keep

car(s) between myself and the fluffy cows.

[inwiththenew]

6. Decreasing intelligence levels is probably a better explanation

Common sense should tell you not to approach a huge, wild animal. If you lack that, then a elementary school level of reading comprehension should suffice. I've been to Yellowstone and there are signs all over the place telling you not to approach wild animals. Most of the people getting gored are complete morons.

[RobinA]

7. Mr. Jorgensen

is way nicer than I am. I say it's just stupidity. Anybody who looks at a bison and doesn't see a potentially dangerous animal should not be allowed out without supervision. AND, as mentioned above, they obviously can't read simple English.

[2naSalit]

15. The park provides...

Safety and touring info in at least ten foreign languages along with clear imagery. (You should see the signs everyone had to put up telling foreigners not to stand on the toilet seats and squat leaving horrendous aftermath. They're even in the airport bathrooms.)

[inthewind21]

8. Wrong

It's highlighting America's INCREASING stupidity!

[Wednesdays]

9. Correction: "Yellowstone bison goring incidents highlight America's...

increasing attitude of 'You can't tell me what to do!'"
FIFY.

[2naSalit]

16. +1

[milestogo]

10. Its the do-it-yourself safari

The truth is, if you want to see wild animals safely and get some good pictures, the best way is to have a professional take you out there. Someone who knows how to find the animals and pre-judge their behavior. People don't know what they don't know, and that is what's dangerous.

[Jade Fox]

11. cutesifying animals is out of control in this country....

"fur babies"

[Thtwudbeme]

14. I can't stand people who call their pets that

We have three- two dogs and a cat.

They are all indoors, air conditioned, fenced yard...shit, we even bought a place in the mountains so they could spend vacation weekends with us.

We have NEVER called the "fur babies." I don't know why that gets on my nerves so much.

[Jade Fox]

22. It's a massive insult to those who have born and raised actual babies (also known as human beings)..

It also reduces animals into living plush toys for human projection.

[Thtwudbeme]

24. There is not a person alive that would think my puppy- the land barracuda-

is a living plush toy.

Dill is a pistol- 4 months old yesterday. I love him so much. Smart little bugger, but he is a terrier- and I got him on purpose.

[milestogo]

28. Even worse is when you get a rescue pet and they say yours is the "furever" home

Sometimes it doesn't work out, and the pet has to be rehomed again. Nobody should be shamed for not being able to stick it out with a pet "furever".

[temporary311]

17. I'm not sure

if there are more stupid people (as a percent) than before, I think it's just much easier to document their stupidity than ever before.

[central scrutinizer]

19. I suspect Darwin of inventing the selfie

Dimwits wanting selfies of themselves with bison, rattlesnakes, etc., are clearly in the shallow end of the gene pool.

[H2O Man]

21. Recommended.

[cemaphonic]

25. My family went to Yellowstone 4 years in a row in the 80s

and there were goring incidents every single year. And in the 60s, people would feed bears from their cars! Americans probably are somewhat less connected with nature than we used to be, but tourists being dumb around wild animals is nothing new.

[Norbert]

27. You nailed it. The prevailing thought with the idiots is big and slow.

Bison are slow moving animals. Nothing can be further from the truth.

[PufPuf23]

29. Humanity's destiny is to pay a major price for our dis-connect with Nature.

Our species is well on the way to what could have been a literal Heaven for our species.

Pissed the bounty of Nature away and now will pay the price.

Most "solutions" proposed look to dig our hole deeper.

[maxsolomon]

31. having been to Yellowstone a number of times in the last decade,

the issue is foreign tourists as much as dumb ass Americans.

none of the warning signs are in Chinese characters.

[FakeNoose]

32. This is the legacy of 80 years of Disney movies

Lions, tigers, bears ... and bison ... are nothing but cute, funny "pets."

Hey let's take a selfie with that bison over there. Let's get close up, and tell him to smile for the camera.

[Model35mech]

33. The bison on TV never gore anyone. Cars are outfitted with TV screens

the whole country thinks nature is damned video.

What could go wrong? People gored by bison? Why not.

Like Forest Gump said, stupid is as stupid does.

Stupid refers to being slow witted, slow to notice... sort of like standing in front of a 1200 pound wild animal that has horns.

I know, my final offense on DU

[GoCubsGo]

34. That's part of the problem.

But, the Park Service provides ample warning to keep one's distance from the animals, and not to feed them. They even tell you how far is a safe distance. People ignore the warnings, even though it means they're going to be subjected to hefty fines, whether or not they survive the encounter. Either they think they're above the rules, or they think they're invincible. The latter does go back to the "decreasing awareness of Nature" thing. However, as some have already pointed out, there is quite a bit of stupidity involved. They were warned. They chose to ignore the warnings. Stupid.