A baby bison had to be put down at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming after a park-goer handled it, causing it to be shunned by its herd.
Park staff at Yellowstone had no choice but to take this sad step after the baby bison was treated this way by a visitor. The incident is currently under review by the park’s law enforcement officers.
According to a press release on Tuesday, the baby bison had to be put down because it started getting too close to cars and people on the road.
This unfortunate situation started when an unidentified middle-aged white man interacted with the baby bison.
On May 20, while the herd was crossing the Lamar River, the baby got separated from its mother. Seeing the calf in trouble, the man helped it out of the river and onto the road.
The rest of the herd did not accept the baby bison after this human contact. Despite repeated attempts by the rangers to get the herd to take the baby back, they didn’t succeed.
People later noticed the calf following cars and people around.
Yellowstone National Park has clear rules that visitors should stay at least 25 yards away from the animals. This event shows that ignoring these rules can lead to sad consequences for the park’s wildlife.
The park’s message to visitors is simple: “Let wildlife live their lives by giving them the space they need.”
