Posted on May 25, 2023
Baby bison euthanized after being handled by a Yellowstone guest, rejected by herd
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https://www.npr.org/2023/05/24/ [login to see] /bison-calf-yellowstone-man
Yellowstone National Park rangers euthanized a newborn bison calf after a visitor touched the animal, trying to help it catch up with its herd, the National Park Service said on Tuesday.
The herd had been crossing the Lamar River on Saturday evening when the calf got separated from its mother on the river bank, according to a press release from the agency. A man observing the scene approached the animal with apparent rescue intentions.
"As the calf struggled, the man pushed the calf up from the river and onto the roadway," NPS said. "Visitors later observed the calf walk up to and follow cars and people."
Yellowstone National Park rangers euthanized a newborn bison calf after a visitor touched the animal, trying to help it catch up with its herd, the National Park Service said on Tuesday.
The herd had been crossing the Lamar River on Saturday evening when the calf got separated from its mother on the river bank, according to a press release from the agency. A man observing the scene approached the animal with apparent rescue intentions.
"As the calf struggled, the man pushed the calf up from the river and onto the roadway," NPS said. "Visitors later observed the calf walk up to and follow cars and people."
Baby bison euthanized after being handled by a Yellowstone guest, rejected by herd
Posted from npr.orgPosted in these groups: 
Wildlife
Wildlife
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel That's a federal offense to approach wildlife within 50 yards. I see these signs all the time in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Very sad that they had to put this calf down because of this.
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MSG Thomas Currie
Yes and no.
Yes, "sad that they had to put this calf down"
No, probably not "because of this"
The tourist trying to help the calf was misguided, he should have just let it starve and be eaten by predators, which is exactly what would have happened without his misguided intervention.
The calf was simply unable to keep up with the herd and would have been left behind to starve on its own.
Contrary to common folk tales about animals being rejected because it was touched by a human, there is no evidence that this actually happens. Adult animals frequently reject babies for a variety of reasons, most of which are not readily apparent to a casual observer. Anyone who has raised pets knows that the mother will sometimes reject the runt of the litter.
Bottom line: we are not doing animals a favor when we "save" one that isn't able to survive on its own. Our intervention is a bad idea, regardless of whether we succeed in saving the individual animal or not. It doesn't matter if it is a baby bison that can't keep up with the herd or a whale that gets lost in a river, when we get involved nature loses.
Yes, "sad that they had to put this calf down"
No, probably not "because of this"
The tourist trying to help the calf was misguided, he should have just let it starve and be eaten by predators, which is exactly what would have happened without his misguided intervention.
The calf was simply unable to keep up with the herd and would have been left behind to starve on its own.
Contrary to common folk tales about animals being rejected because it was touched by a human, there is no evidence that this actually happens. Adult animals frequently reject babies for a variety of reasons, most of which are not readily apparent to a casual observer. Anyone who has raised pets knows that the mother will sometimes reject the runt of the litter.
Bottom line: we are not doing animals a favor when we "save" one that isn't able to survive on its own. Our intervention is a bad idea, regardless of whether we succeed in saving the individual animal or not. It doesn't matter if it is a baby bison that can't keep up with the herd or a whale that gets lost in a river, when we get involved nature loses.
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Cpl Vic Burk
MSG Thomas Currie - I so see your point but they could have sent it to a zoo. One would have taken it someplace. We'll never know the true reasons but as you said, it's best to let it be and let nature take its course.
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MSG Thomas Currie
Cpl Vic Burk - Very much like the military (or any large organization, especially in government) the National Park Service has a bunch of rules about what they can do, when, and how. Those rules are usually right overall but there are always individual cases where some particular rule either won't make sense or won't look like it makes sense.
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