You have to see this! Over a dozen people surround bull elk, including woman holding child only feet away from the animal
Published at
TOO CLOSE — Another video of people not viewing wildlife from a safe distance recently surfaced online, this one coming out of Colorado.
The footage was shared on a Facebook and Youtube page called “Colorado Adventures” on Aug. 29, 2024.
“I am at a loss for words on this one,” the Facebook caption reads. “This was yesterday afternoon in Estes Park, Colorado.”
The video shows over a dozen people surrounding a bull elk, who is standing on the grass while what appears to be an adolescent cow is lying on the ground.
People who are only feet away from the animals have their phones out and pointed towards the elk. One woman is seen standing on the grass in front of the elk while holding a child.
“Do people not understand that you stay away from wildlife. Especially the ones with young?” one viewer commented.
Another said, “People not thinking! Too close and scary for comfort!”
The Town of Estes Park, Colorado, has a page on its website dedicated to “Elk Safety” which states that “elk viewing is best from a safe distance.”
“Each September and October, thousands of visitors are drawn to Estes Park to watch herds of elk gather in the valley for their mating season, or rut,” the website explains. “With this popular activity comes the responsibility for everyone to be safe and respect these majestic animals. During the rut, the male bull elk are irritable, aggressive and extremely dangerous to onlookers who get too close.”
Although nobody got hurt in this video, let it serve as a reminder for those who need it, that being too close to wildlife can ultimately be a matter of life and death.