Summer is the busiest season at many of the United States’ 433 National Park Service sites, which welcomed a record 332 million visitors in 2024, who drove, hiked, paddled, and cycled across more than 85 million acres of wild and scenic landscapes.
At the top of most of those visitors’ wish lists is catching a glimpse—or better still, snapping a photo—of a grizzly bear, bison, bald eagle, alligator, moose, or other iconic species. A study published in the May 2025 edition of the Conservation and Science Practice journal found that 77 percent of visitors to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks cited viewing wildlife as a primary reason for their trip.
While wildlife-watching has always been a huge motivator for national park visits, it continues to grow in popularity, driven in part by social media trends and ever-advancing camera technology. That growth also brings more opportunities for conflicts between people and the animals, sometimes with tragic consequences.
In two separate incidents this summer, two individuals in Yellowstone were injured by bison after approaching too closely.
A black bear in Yellowstone was euthanized by park officials July 11 after a series of unusual incidents at a backcountry campsite in the northern part of the park. The bear had crushed an unoccupied tent and four days later climbed a pole and tore down properly stored food bags to reach human food.
“We go to great lengths to protect bears and prevent them from gaining access to human food in all areas of the park,” says Kerry Gunther, Yellowstone’s bear management biologist. “But occasionally, a bear outsmarts us or overcomes our defenses. When that happens, we sometimes have to make the difficult decision to remove the bear from the population to protect people and property.”
Knowing what to do (or what not to do) is key to staying safe around wildlife and ensuring your actions don’t harm the very animals you’ve traveled to see. Here are some mistakes to avoid.
Don’t provoke an animal for a better viewing angle or a reaction for a photo
Whistling, shouting, or waving your hands can appear aggressive, causing the animal to flee—or charge.
Some hikers wear small bells that jingle while walking, or they clap or shout when rounding a blind corner so as not to surprise any animals they might run into on the trails.
Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock
Don’t run from an animal or assume you can outrun wildlife that appears slow, sluggish, or disinterested
Running can trigger a hunting response, causing predators to chase you. Besides, it’s highly unlikely you could outrun most wild mammals, predators, or otherwise.
“Bison will defend their space when threatened and have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal, including grizzly bears,” says Linda Veress, a Yellowstone spokeswoman. “They are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.”
“One thing visitors may not realize is if a bison or other animal approaches them, they must move away to always maintain these safe viewing distances,” Veress says. Slowly back away from the animal while avoiding direct eye contact.
Don’t move (or linger) too close
Some people get too close for a better view of wildlife, often to capture a selfie. Or they remain in the same spot as an animal approaches, or they stand with their back turned for a selfie. These are all mistakes that can end in a violent clash with an angry elk, bothered bison, or mad moose.
Yellowstone regulations require staying at least 75 feet from any large wildlife and 300 feet from wolves, cougars, and bears. “Zoom with your lens, not with your feet” is common advice in national parks around the country.
Don’t handle or touch wildlife, even if the animal approaches you or appears to be “friendly”
You should also keep your distance even if the animal appears to be “in distress.” For instance, the Mojave Desert tortoise (listed as endangered by the state of California) spends most of the year underground in places like Joshua Tree National Park. But in spring or fall, it may move among humans while seeking food, water, or a mate, says Kelly Herbinson, executive director of the nonprofit Mojave Desert Land Trust.
“They can be curious and may even approach people, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t stressed by your presence,” Herbinson says.
It’s always best to keep a safe distance when it comes to wildlife like this mother and cub in Sequoia National Park.
Photo by Lennard Datema/Unsplash
Don’t surprise wildlife
Engaging with wildlife unexpectedly can be a recipe for disaster. Even seemingly docile animals like elk or moose can lash out if they feel threatened, especially while eating or with their offspring.
“These majestic animals are wild, live in the wilderness, and are not tame, timid, or unaware of your presence,” says Mike Keller, general manager in Yellowstone for Xanterra Travel Collection, the country’s largest state and national park concessioner.
“A simple ‘nudge’ from a bison, elk, moose, or other animal can have devastating results on humans,” he says.
Some hikers wear small bells that jingle while walking, signaling their presence to animals. Others clap or shout “hey, bear” or “whoa, moose” when entering thick woods or rounding a blind corner. The key is to be aware of your surroundings and watch where you’re going—and don’t wear headphones that block ambient sounds.
Don’t let pets off the leash or get near wildlife
Your Chihuahua may look like prey to a coyote, while your rottweiler may terrify a yellow-bellied marmot. Letting pets run free is generally a violation of national park regulations and can result in a dead pet, dead wildlife, fines, and a citation.
Don’t feed wildlife or leave food or trash where it’s available to animals
The National Park Service has a long history of mixed messages on feeding wildlife. A century ago, it encouraged or tolerated feeding black bears in parks such as Crater Lake and Yosemite or watching grizzlies gorge at garbage dumps in Yellowstone. But by 1944, the agency was circulating guidance via pop culture, such as a Donald Duck comic strip advising against those practices.
Ashley Hobbs, a biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, says black bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and around Asheville are endangered by vehicles and other hazards when they dig through trash or when people feed them.
Those bears “begin to seek these foods more often as an easily accessible, high-calorie food source,” Hobbs says. “This brings bears close to humans, resulting in more human-bear interactions and, again, putting humans, pets, and the bears in danger.”
Hobbs says black bear research around the Great Smokies shows that human food may also alter bears’ reproductive cycles, gut microbiome, and other biological processes. So make sure your food and trash are secured and out of reach of animals.
Keep all unattended food or scented items—including cosmetics, toothpaste, and other toiletries—away from tents and locked inside a car or in a bear-proof canister or food locker provided at campsites. Backcountry campers should hang food at least 15 feet above the ground and 10 feet away from a tree trunk or support pole.
But it’s not only bears and food that park visitors have to be aware of. To go the extra mile, consider safeguarding anything with a strong scent from any curious animal. In June, officials in Grand Teton issued a warning that a fox was suspected of stealing 19 shoes and boots from a remote campground, apparently attracted by their strong odor. Campers were warned against leaving footwear outside their tents to avoid habituating the fox to humans.
It all may seem like a lot of hassle, but remember, it’s for everyone’s safety and well-being. If that’s not reason enough, consider that marshmallows, mozzarella sticks, and macaroons are at least as unhealthy for black bears, beavers, and bobcats as they are for humans.
