When a tour guide warns that you should not get close to wildlife, you should probably listen or you might end up like this woman.
A video of a woman being charged by an elk in Yellowstone National Park has gone viral, being viewed nearly 600,000 times, and serves as a stern example of why you should never approach wildlife.
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On Sunday, Yellowstone National Park tour guide Jody Tibbitts was leading his group through the wilderness when they spotted some elk in the forest, according to CNN. They pulled over to take some shots, but then noticed one woman, who wasn’t with the group, approaching the female elk on foot.
In the video, you can hear Tibbitts calling out to the woman to come back as she approaches the elk while holding up a mobile device.
His warnings came too late, though, as the elk seemed to take the woman as a threat and began charging at her.
Before the elk could hit her, she fell down and the elk backed away, Tibbitts told CNN.
Tibbitts posted the video on his Facebook page, writing, “It is classic at the end she says ‘that won’t happen again’ and I replied I bet it won’t.”
Tibbitts told CNN that since the invention of smart phones, people seem to be willing to take more risks.
“Prior to having high definition cameras in our pockets, people seemed more courteous to animals,” he said. “It seems like people are being more brave and taking more chances and not thinking about the consequences.”
The behavior of the elk is understandable considering it is “elk calving season,” according to the park.
As for the woman, Tibbitts said she was unharmed.
Hopefully, this video will encourage others to stay the recommended 25 yards away from wildlife.
