TRAVEL TRENDS

New Instagram filter helps tourists maintain a safe distance from wildlife

Encounters between humans and wildlife are becoming increasingly common, particularly in U.S. national parks, where visitor numbers continue to rise. Yellowstone, for instance, saw more than 4.5 million visitors last year alone, according to The Washington Post. The National Park Service’s (NPS) guidance dictates that people should stay at least 25 to 100 yards away from wild animals, with the exact distance dependent on the species. Of course, not everyone follows the NPS’ sage advice.

Social media is full of examples of tourists getting dangerously close to wildlife, often in pursuit of the perfect selfie. While they frequently emerge unscathed, individual “tourons” (a mashup of “tourist” and “moron”) sometimes suffer the consequences. In June, an 83-year-old woman was gored by a bison, while a child was attacked by a black bear near Montana’s Custer National Forest just last week. More than a year back, a Yellowstone visitor with good intentions tried to help a newborn bison, causing the herd to reject the baby, which then had to be euthanized.

“Not respecting their space could result in harm to us and their potential death,” said Chamois Anderson, a senior representative for the Rockies and Plains program with nonprofit organization Defenders of Wildlife. “We need to abide by the rules of the park, because the wildlife could be potentially harmful to humans,” she said, adding, “You just never know when they’re going to react in a negative way.”

In an innovative move to promote the safety of both visitors and animals, the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board (JHTTB) in Wyoming has introduced a new Instagram filter designed to help visitors gauge how close they are to wildlife through their camera lens. Aptly named “Selfie Control”, the filter was released just in time for the busy summer season and is available for free.

This tool includes icons of five animals commonly found in Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, and the surrounding region: bison, elk, moose, and both black and grizzly bears. It also displays the recommended viewing distances: 25 yards for moose, elk and bison, and 100 yards for bears. By using the filter, visitors can visually compare the size of the real animal with the icon in the frame. If the real animal appears larger than the icon, it indicates that the photographer is too close, and they should move back.

“We are not discouraging people from going to see these animals, but we are trying to give them the tools to do it more responsibly and in a way that adheres to the guidelines in these wild places,” said Crista Valentino, JHTTB’s Executive Director.

While visitors who approach wild animals in search of the perfect photo may think there’s no harm as long as a violent encounter doesn’t ensue, there can still be unintended impacts. Experts warn that even seemingly benign interactions can cause significant stress to animals, affecting their feeding, mating and migratory patterns. “Stress is probably more of a detrimental factor than the few times we actually have to euthanize animals for being aggressive,” said Renee Seidler, the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation’s Executive Director.

According to Valentino, thousands of people have downloaded the filter since it was first introduced in May, and JHTTB continues to promote it through sidewalk decals, banners and even drink coasters in restaurants. The technology is also open-source, allowing other regions around the world the opportunity to customize it for their own specific wildlife needs.

– Laurie Baratti / TravelPulse (TNS)