Parks Service Makes Fresh Warning After Yellowstone Incident With Elk Calf

The National Park Service has warned the public never to approach the wildlife after Yellowstone visitors took an elk calf for a drive.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the park service said that as the weather warms, people need to "think safely and act safely."

During Memorial Day weekend, visitors of Yellowstone National Park took an elk calf in their car out of its natural habitat and brought it to the West Yellowstone, Montana, police station.

"The elk later ran off into the forest," park officials told Fox Weather. "The condition of the elk is unknown."

It is not clear why the visitors did this, and the incident is under investigation. Newsweek has contacted Yellowstone National Park.

It is not the first time Yellowstone National Park visitors have been caught interfering with wildlife recently. The National Park Service urges all visitors to stay well clear of all wildlife. For elk and bison, people should stay at least 25 yards away.

In May, a man was fined more than $1,000 after he interfered with a bison calf in Yellowstone that had been struggling to cross a river.

Clifford Walters had approached the bison calf as it crossed the river near Lamar Valley and pushed it out onto the road. The incident caused the calf to be rejected from its herd, and it started approaching cars and people. The calf was euthanized as a result.

Videos have also surfaced on the Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone of people posing for pictures next to Yellowstone's wildlife, bison in particular—one of the park's most dangerous animals.

"The best way to stay safe around wildlife is to give animals room to move. If you're close enough for a selfie, you're too close. Use binoculars or a zoom lens and take the initiative to move back if wildlife approaches you. (Especially if they're pressing you about a warranty.)" the National Park Service said in a statement posted to Facebook.

Even when visitors are far away, the National Park Service reiterated that leaving them be will help their "viewing experience" in the long run.

"Do not feed, touch, tease, frighten, or intentionally disturb wildlife. Remember that wildlife in parks are wild and like your ex, can be unpredictable when they're disturbed or surprised," the park service said. "Ultimately, staying safe and keeping wildlife wild is up to you! When you go out into a national park, it's your responsibility to keep yourself, your family, and the wildlife safe (and the viral videos at a minimum.)"

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