East Idaho News
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Elk charges after woman who tries to take a photo in Yellowstone
Posted
May 31, 2016
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May 31, 2016
223,760
315
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0:52Now PlayingYELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK -- Video shot by a tourist over the weekend in Yellowstone National Park shows why it's important to keep a safe distance from wildlife.
Jody Tibbitts, a tour guide with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris, was with a Florida family in the park when they noticed a woman with a camera inching closer and closer to an elk.
"She was practically stomping up to it," Tibbitts tells EastIdahoNews.com. "Honestly I'd say she was probably 25 feet away from the elk as opposed to the 25 yards (mandated by Yellowstone National Park)."
Manny Perez, a man in the tour group, grabbed his cell phone and started recording as Tibbitts tried to warn to the woman to stay back.
"Ma'am, ma'am, could you please...," Tibbitts is heard in the background as the elk starts to charge.
The camera pans and you see the woman lying on the ground with the elk standing several feet away from her.
"I was just going to tell you you're standing too close to that elk," Tibbits says in the video.
The woman responds, "It's been a long time since I've been out here. Thank you."
Tibbitts then reminds the woman that she needs to stay 25 yards away from wildlife in the park.
"It won't happen again," the woman says to which Tibbits responds, "I bet it won't."
Tibbitts tells EastIdahoNews.com the woman tripped and the elk stopped short of trampling her but it could have been a completely different story.
"You never know what can happen with a wild animal," Tibbitts says. "Imagine a stranger coming into your home and whistling and staring and taking photos. You'd be pretty upset too."
Tibbitts has been a Yellowstone tour guide since 1991 and says over the past few years tourists have been "out of control" when it comes to harassing wildlife.
"With everyone having a camera in their pocket, people are taking more chances and are getting more brazen," Tibbitts says. "Literally on a daily basis I'm having to tell people they're way too close to animals."
Tibbitts says he's even seen people chase bears into the woods for a photo.
"It's just mind blowing," Tibbitts says.
Tibbitts hopes this recent incident reminds tourists to remain away from the wildlife so serious incidents don't happen.
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