A woman in Yellowstone National Park who appeared to disregard National Park Service rules by approaching wildlife is under investigation by federal authorities.
The National Park Service is asking the public to help identify a woman who was charged by a female grizzly bear after walking up to the animal with her phone to film it.
Video of the encounter captured onlookers’ gasps when the grizzly rushed the woman who calmly walked away after the bear’s charge.
The Park Service describes the suspect as a white woman in her mid-30s with brown hair, heavyset, and wearing black clothing.
According to the statement, the violation occurred on May 10 at around 4:45pm.
Commenters on Yellowstone National Park’s Facebook page had little sympathy for the woman.
“If they didn’t euthanize the bears, I would fully support them eating a few tourists each year,” wrote Ken Weisz.
“People really just act like they are seeing squirrels at their local park. She’s lucky she didn’t get yeeted out of existence,” said Shiloh Barksdale.
“I guess this Darwin Award recipient thinks she’s at a petting zoo,” Lacy Teel said. “She’s lucky to be alive and lucky she didn’t cause the death of this mother and her cubs.”
There have been many high-profile bear attacks so far in 2021, some fatal.
A woman was killed by a black bear near Durango, Colorado in April and a Montana man was mauled to death by a grizzly near Yellowstone earlier this month.
