Every year, tourists visit Yellowstone National Park hoping to capture videos and photos of bison at the park. Just take one viral video of a "performing bison" for instance.
The video features one of the buffalo prancing around. However, bison aren't playful creatures. They don't perform for our amusement, and they can be quite dangerous. Speaking with Cowboy State Daily, experts explain why you should take caution with the animals. In the video in question, the creature isn't playing. It is telling tourists that it isn't comfortable with all the attention it is receiving.
"This bison could have easily plowed into the tourists," said ecologist, author and bison advocate George Wuerthner to the outlet. "That bison was not performing except to demonstrate his agitation. They are so fast, and these people were way too close."
Bison Dangers
Things can change in the blink of an eye. This is real wilderness, not a zoo. Bison can greatly injure you.
"People tend to look at the wildlife in Yellowstone like they would if they were at a zoo," he said. "Those animals are accustomed to people, but that doesn't negate their natural, wild tendencies. And in their wild conditions, Yellowstone's wildlife will react differently than an animal in the zoo."
The expert believes that the buffalo was getting ready to charge. It was to demonstrate its power, not perform. "That's a behavior that bison do with other bison, and the other bison know what it means," he said.
"Even if this was behavior that bison use among themselves, people can tell what they're thinking and what their intentions are," he also said. "It was a warning. That bison was saying, 'I am very agitated and ready to take some aggressive action if you don't watch your step.'"
So basically, just practice common sense. Remember these are wild animals.
"People have this sense that bison are like cows in a pasture, but more people get hurt from bison than from bears or any other animals in Yellowstone," Wuerthner said. "That's partly because people underestimate how bison will react when they approach and how quickly they can respond."
