A family has been caught posing two young children for photos among elk at – much to the frustration of Park Rangers, who swiftly intervened upon spotting the children dangerously close to the animals. Ty Mixon, who shared photos of the incident via Instagram account , said he was surprised to see people acting so carelessly around the local animals just two days into his stay at Yellowstone, but commented that a Park Ranger handled the situation quickly. Mixon's first photo (which you can see below) shows the children being encouraged to stand right in front of an elk, while the second shows a Ranger striding purposefully towards them to deliver some strong words.
Elk attacks are rare, but they do happen and sometimes result in serious injury. In 2020 , and in 2019 in the town of Estes Park. In 2018, after being attacked by a particularly protective cow elk at Yellowstone.
Cows are particularly likely to attack at this time of year, when they are likely to be defending their calves. Even if a calf appears to be alone, it's important to never approach it; the animal is unlikely to have been abandoned, and its mother is probably foraging nearby. Touching wild animals can put them in serious danger.
Last spring, at Yellowstone National Park, believing it to be abandoned, and drove it to a nearby police station. When they arrived, the young animal jumped out of the vehicle and ran into nearby woods. Its fate is unknown, but without its mother, it may not have survived.
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