We sign a social contract with those around us when we spend time in a national park, promising to follow the rules.
This social contract is more important to some people than it is to others.
Park Visitor
The Tourons of National Parks Instagram account (@touronsofnationalparks) received a video from a park visitor.
In the video, a lady is flying a drone while holding onto a dog on a leash at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.
Video Content
She can be seen maneuvering the drone high above the stunning red canyons.
Occasionally she can be observed stepping around or pulling her dog’s leash toward her.
Breaking Rules
“Double whammy from Bryce,” the video is subtitled.
“When I passed her on trail I let her know about the rules for drones and dogs but she didn’t care.”
Banned Drones
The National Park Service has banned the use of drones in national parks since 2014.
This is due to safety concerns for tourists, staff, and wildlife, according to additional information in the post’s caption.
Dog Restrictions
Also, dogs are only allowed on paved roads in Bryce Canyon National Park.
This is because they can chase, scare, or spread disease to wildlife and leave behind a “predator” scent that disturbs the native animals.
Awareness of Rules
The tourist might not have been aware of the rules before getting the warning.
However, the behavior could still have hurt the wildlife that was nearby.
Natural World
The honor of seeing nature firsthand is vital to our future here on our planet since environmental awareness starts with deference to nature.
However, the goal of increased interactions between humans and nature ought to be appreciation and comprehension, not danger.
Tourist Recklessness
The recklessness of tourists can also make it harder for others to connect with nature.
Both bystanders and the park rangers whose job it is to protect the park’s wildlife can feel the stress of watching these things happen.
Public Reaction
Numerous individuals vented their frustrations regarding the tourist’s actions in the video’s comments section.
One person exclaimed in apparent disbelief, “A dog and a drone. This person really likes breaking laws and disrespecting National Parks.”
“Enforce the Rules”
Another person said, “People feel so entitled these days.”
“But definitely need to ramp up the ability/funding for rangers to enforce the rules in the parks.”
Prior Research
The situation serves as a reminder that it is wise to conduct some research prior to exploring the natural world.
Although it is not clear whether the woman initially intended to break the rules.
Bryce Canyon boasts the largest number of hoodoos (irregular columns of rock) in the world.
