Tourist’s mistake leads to euthanasia of baby bison in Yellowstone.
Good intentions gone wrong: Tourist’s attempt to rescue bison calf leads to its death
A tourist’s well-intentioned attempt to rescue a young bison calf in Yellowstone National Park ended in tragedy, according to the National Park Service. The man saw the newborn animal struggling in an area of northern Wyoming where the Lamar River joins with Soda Butte Creek. As the calf struggled, the man pushed it up from the river and onto the roadway. Visitors later observed the calf walk up to and follow cars and people.
The young animal survived the perilous river crossing but was now in a new form of danger without its mother or its herd. The Cowboy State Daily reported that wildlife experts disputed the common belief that the calf’s mother would have rejected it after it was handled by humans. However, the calf’s mother appeared disinclined to swim back across the river, and the calf “showed no interest” in trying to swim across to join the herd.
The NPS confirmed the animal had been euthanized. “In this case, park rangers tried repeatedly to reunite the calf with the herd. These efforts failed. The calf was later killed by park staff because it was abandoned by the herd and causing a hazardous situation by approaching cars and people along the roadway,” the release said.
The National Park Service is now looking for information on the man who tried to help the animal, which was a violation of park regulations. Those rules require visitors to stay 25 yards away from wildlife such as bison, elk, and deer. “Disregarding these regulations can result in fines, injury and even death,” the park service said.
Why Yellowstone Doesn’t Rescue Wildlife
The NPS referred animal lovers to a section on its website titled “Why Yellowstone Doesn’t Rescue Wildlife.” “Every year, hundreds of animals are injured or separated from their mothers or groups for various reasons,” the park service explained.
So what was the bystander supposed to do — let the calf drown? In a word: Yes. “Newborn calves can sometimes struggle fording swollen waterways in an attempt to keep up with the herd,” the Cowboy State Daily explained. “They are almost always eventually successful. Even if they are not, it’s nature.”
If you were in Lamar Valley on the evening of May 20, 2023, and have information that could help this investigation, please contact the Yellowstone National Park Tip Line at 307-344-2132 or [email protected],” the release said.
Have you ever been to Yellowstone National Park?
Why Yellowstone Doesn’t Rescue Orphaned or Injured Animals
“A few of these events have gone viral on social media and elicited world-wide requests for the park to save these animals, rehabilitate them, and return them to the wild,” it said.
“With so much attention, why doesn’t Yellowstone automatically rescue orphaned or injured animals?”
Basically, it comes down to the circle of life.
“Each year animals have more offspring than can possibly survive,” the park service said.
“The death of some animals is a necessary part of sustaining our populations of predators, scavengers, decomposers and, eventually, herbivores once the nutrient cycle comes full circle,” it said.”
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