Elk Charges At Yellowstone Tourist After She Ventures Too Close

Jody Tibbitts / Facebook

Yellowstone park guides are always cautioning visitors to keep their distance when they encounter wildlife – but this woman failed to take that warning to heart.

Yellowstone wildlife guide Jody Tibbitts recorded a scary video while on the job. An elk was hanging out quietly in the forest, minding their own business, when a park-goer got a little too close for comfort.

The elk let the woman know in no uncertain terms that they were not interested in having their picture taken.

The animal charged her. Thankfully, the woman wasn’t hurt – she fell because she tripped, not because she was knocked over by the elk.

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According to National Parks Service spokesman Jeffrey Olson, many national park visitors are putting themselves in danger as they attempt to get the perfect shot to post on social media.

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“There is just kind of an ignorant danger, and then there is a whole other level of the really self-obsessed selfie shooters – and what they do is try to close the distance between them and the animal,” Olson told ABC News.

Olson recommends using the widest lens possible, and never closing in on the distance between yourself and a wild animal. Animals in national parks generally have a healthy fear of humans, and it’s hard to predict what they’ll do if the feel you’re getting too close.