Stay away from bison, elk

Yellowstone National Park officials are urging visitors to respect safety regulations after a man pleaded guilty to intentionally disturbing a baby bison that was later euthanized and tourists put an elk calf in their car. 

“In recent days, some actions by visitors have led to the endangerment of people and wildlife and resulted in the death of wildlife,” park officials said in a news release Thursday. 

Park officials said visitors are required to stay at least 25 yards away from all wildlife and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves. 

Approaching wild animals can affect their well-being and their survival, park officials said.  

“When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, on a road, or in a developed area, leave it alone and give it space,” park officials said.

Baby bison euthanized after visitor pushed animal out of river causing herd to reject it

The man who “intentionally disturbed” the baby bison pleaded guilty to one count of feeding, touching, teasing, frightening or intentionally disturbing wildlife on May 31, the U.S. Department of Justice District of Wyoming said in a news release.  

According to the violation notice, the man approached the newborn bison – after the struggling calf had been separated from its mother when the herd crossed the Lamar River – and pushed the baby up from the river and onto the roadway on May 20, the news release said.

Park rangers tried to reunite the calf with the herd, but they were unsuccessful. 

Staff euthanized the calf because “it was abandoned by the herd” and “causing a hazardous situation by approaching cars and people along the roadway,” the release said.  

Baby bison euthanized:Yellowstone visitor pleads guilty to federal offense

Tourists put newborn elk calf in car

During Memorial Day weekend, visitors put an elk calf in their car and took it to the West Yellowstone Police Department. 

“The elk later ran off into the forest and its condition is unknown,”…