Elk charges at woman taking selfie in Yellowstone

Staying a safe distance from wildlife is no joke – they will charge you, as noted by REBOOT.

Shocking video footage shows the moment a female tourist at Yellowstone National Park in the United States got too close while photographing an elk -which then charges directly towards her, leaving her lying on the ground.

In the video you can hear Tibbitts warning the tourist to back up.

Tibbitts, who has been working at the national park since 1991 and shared the clip on Facebook, tries to warn the woman by saying “ma’am, ma’am, could you please”.

The video, taken by another park visitor, misses the next few seconds and it is not clear whether the woman fell over or was pushed by the elk.

The National Park Service advises visitors to stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and at least 25 yards away from other wildlife to help prevent similar incidents. Ouch. “It won’t happen again”, the woman mutters.

He could be heard on video telling her, “I’m sure it won’t”. “That literally scared the bejesus out of her”.

The ranger told EastIdahoNews that the woman tripped before she could be butted by the elk. “You’d be pretty upset too”.

Earlier in May, visitors with misplaced intentions put a newborn bison calf in their vehicle because they feared it was cold.

A female elk can weigh as much as 500 pounds, which means the animal can cause serious injuries, even death, if it feels its offspring have been threatened, Tibbitts said. By tapping the “Locate me” button, visitors will always know where they are.

“With everyone having a camera in their pocket, people are taking more chances and are getting more brazen”, Tibbitts says.