A mother bison watches as her calf struggles to climb out of a small creek after falling in, in Yellowstone Park May 7, 2023. Baby bison are known as “red dogs” and are typically born in April and May.
Officials at Yellowstone National Park warned visitors last week against disturbing wildlife following several concerning incidents.
“In recent days, some actions by visitors have led to the endangerment of people and wildlife and resulted in the death of wildlife,” park officials said in a news release Thursday.
The press release went on to plead with visitors to "protect wildlife by understanding how their actions can negatively impact wildlife."
This announcement came on the heels of a series of incidents that occured at the park, including two car separate car crashes involving an elk and a bison.
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On May 31, a man pled guilty to intentionally disturbing wildlife in the park after he pushed a "struggling" baby bison up from a river toward the road in the northeastern section of the park. Park officials attempted to reunite the bison calf with its mother and the herd, but ultimately had to euthanize the animal because it was “causing a hazardous situation by approaching cars and people along the roadway,” according to a press release.
The incident -- which occured on May 20 -- resulted in a $500 fine, a $500 Community Service payment to Yellowstone Forever Wildlife Protection Fund, a $30 special assessment and a $10 processing fee.
Despite the initial press release asking visitors to be more mindful of the wildlife and provided guidance, incidents continue to occur.
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Just days later over Memorial Day weekend, a group of tourists placed an elk calk in their car. They then took the animal to the West Yellowstone, Montana, Police Department. However, it ran away upon arrival and "its condition is unknown" according to the police report.
In 2022, Yellowstone was the seventh-most visited national park, welcoming 3.29 million people.
