Bison Calf at Yellowstone Euthanized After Human Intervention

A bison calf at Yellowstone National Park had to be euthanized after a man apparently tried to help it, causing the herd to reject it, park officials said this week.

The newborn calf began following cars and people, officials said, and was killed because it posed a hazard to visitors.

The episode began on Saturday evening, when the calf was separated from its mother as their herd crossed the Lamar River in Wyoming, in the park’s northeast corner. When the calf struggled to reach the group, a middle-aged man “intentionally disturbed” it, pushing it from the river onto the road near the river’s confluence with Soda Butte Creek, the National Park Service said in a statement on Tuesday. It is unclear where the herd was at that point.

“Interference by people can cause wildlife to reject their offspring,” the Park Service said. “In this case, park rangers tried repeatedly to reunite the calf with the herd. These efforts failed.”

Law enforcement officers were trying to identify the man, who was wearing a blue shirt and black pants while interacting with the animal. Anyone with information is urged to contact the park’s tip line at 307-344-2132 or [email protected].

Park regulations require visitors to stay 25 yards away from wildlife such as bison, elk and deer and 100 yards away from bears and wolves. Approaching animals can drastically affect their well-being and survival, the Park Service said.

“Disregarding these regulations can result in fines, injury and even death,” the Park Service said. “The safety of these animals, as well as human safety, depends on everyone using good judgment and following these simple rules.”

Yellowstone regularly has to remind visitors not to interact with park wildlife. In 2018, a man was arrested after taunting a bison at Yellowstone National Park. In 2016, a bison calf was euthanized after being placed in the back of an S.U.V. and rejected by its herd. And in 2015, a woman was injured while trying to take a selfie near a bison.