Responsible bear viewing requires only basic common sense to act in a manner that keeps tourists and animals safe.
But common sense, it seems, does not always kick in when tourists encounter bears and insist on being as close as possible.
The accompanying footage, shared Thursday by Kodiak Island Expeditions, shows a photographer crouching within yards of brown bear cubs in Alaska’s Katmai National Park. (Park rules mandate a distance of 50 yards or greater.)
The footage does not show, thankfully, what could have happened had mama bear returned from fishing to find this perceived threat to her offspring.
Reads one Instagram comment: "Everybody trying to be a big brave adventurer. Just remember...she’ll take a limb off and you’ll still be conscious.
For a few minutes."
The description, from Jen Culbertson, reads: "This individual seemed completely unaware that he narrowly avoided getting swatted by the mother bear as she returned from fishing to find him between her and her cubs.
"Not all visitors to our national parks respect the rules meant to protect our wildlife – or themselves. Ultimately, it is the wildlife that pays the price for human stupidity."
Culbertson added that she has noticed an increase in camping at Katmai, and campers using social media to share their close-call footage as a means of "bragging."
Culbertson also reminded followers that Timothy Treadwell, who had claimed a bond with Katmai’s brown bears, was killed and partially eaten by an adult male brown bear in the park in 2003.
"Two bears were killed because of him," Culbertson wrote.
(The remains of Treadwell and Amie Huguenard were found at a campsite near Kaflia Lake on Oct. 6, 2003. A large male bear and a subadult bear were subsequently shot and killed by rangers.)
Alluding to diminished funding for national parks during the past two years, Culbertson concluded:
"I am saddened to see our national parks lose funding and support for rangers. You can mitigate this as a visitor by respecting the park rules and choosing companies that do the same."
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 'Human stupidity' on full display in Alaskan brown bear country
