Within national parks across the United States, increasing visitor counts are leading towards a distressing decision between keeping visitors satisfied and making sure wildlife is treated appropriately. The U.S. has been receiving record-high numbers of visitors over the past few years, and some of the more popular national parks are receiving around 200,000 people a week. This rise in visitation is great for experiencing the nature that the world has to offer, but not as great for the nature itself, leading to harm within the parks if not properly regulated. Nature is a very important part of this nation, and important to many on a personal level, and it will be impossible to enjoy it if it isn’t cared for correctly.
The National Park Service says that there is an obligation for visitors who are visiting the parks to treat the animals with respect, meaning that they don’t touch, feed or harass the animals within the area. In order for animals to be safe in these parks, officials need to make sure this guideline is followed. Many of the animal-related incidents within parks are due to the fact that people don’t keep their distance. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that five people were injured by bison in Yellowstone National Park in 2015. All of those injuries occurred because the victims didn’t remain 75 feet away from the bison. This is exactly why people have to be respectful of the national parks, as well as the wildlife living there.
This isn’t to say that it is the visitors’ fault for wanting to be surrounded by nature, but being considerate is important. Staying on hiking trails and behind railings is important not only for one’s own safety, but also for the safety of living things as well. Wild animals have every right to remain in their own territory, and people have every right to visit the parks; there just needs to be a balance between caring for visitors and protecting the animals.
The National Park Service collected data about wildlife behavior in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, and their data showed that even minimal amounts of human activity can alter how animals behave. The National Park Service also stated that it was unreasonable to expect people to stop visiting national parks, but that a balance had to be made between the guests’ and the animals’ well-being. Therefore, it is important to know when it is inappropriate to interact with wildlife and when it is safe to observe them.
Many people enjoy the outdoors, and by no means should that privilege be taken away. Hiking on trails, exploring rivers and climbing mountains are all achievable feats; however, it is important to respect conservation and limit disobedience. If the national parks are supposed to remain open for many years to come, careful consideration has to be taken regarding how the nature within the parks is being protected. There are already many different ways that wildlife is being destroyed; let’s not have humans be one of them.
