Yellowstone Prepares for Influx of Summer Idiots

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About once a week one of my coworkers posts a video of someone doing something incredibly stupid at a national park. Often at Yellowstone and involving bison, moose, and grizzly bears. These animals aren’t known for their polite conflict resolution skills. Instead, when confronted with a problem, they often stomp, trample or maul the offender. While I don’t celebrate and don’t endorse anyone’s violent death, I believe etching the word Idiot on a tombstone could work as a deterrence.

The Instagram post above was designed by the National Park Service. Even if you can’t read, you get the idea.

Understand that if an animal attacks you, it likely forfeits its own life. Even though it acted instinctively. Once a bear, moose, or bison kills a park visitor, the animal is marked for euthanasia.

Keep in mind that the parks are home to the animals. You’re simply passing through. The whole notion of setting aside some land was and is a means of preserving an ecosystem and allowing us to appreciate nature.

But you know all of this. The overwhelming number of people reading this aren’t dummies. They shun the people who can’t follow the rules and I’m hopeful that if you spot a brazen human jackass you report him as quickly as possible to rangers. It’s not snitching. It’s getting the bad actors out of the park. Much like a tombstone inscribed with an insult, a little time behind bars or a good fine should convince people that repeating the behavior isn’t worthwhile.

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