A video has gone viral after a tourist at Yellowstone National Park caught the moment a bison “performed” with a dance, but experts warn is was anything but.
Jake Slater posted the video on Sept. 5 on Facebook. The video shows a group of tourists walking the boardwalk when a bison appears to be prancing. The bison also later shakes its head and hops back and forth, to the amazement of the tourists.
The video, titled “He came to perform for tourists 😂💖,” has garnered more than 7 million views. Some wondered if the bison had a sudden case of “Buffalo zoomies.”
But the comments were largely flooded with bewilderment at the tourist’s behavior.
One commented, “Tourist should have to pass a test to enter any State or National Park!” Another wrote, “He is not playing or performing…he is warning them! Look at his tail.”
Related: Latest Badly Behaved Yellowstone Tourist Caught Taunting Massive Bison
In the video, at least one person appears apprehensive after revealing he’s not feeling comfortable.
In an interview with Cowboy State Daily, ecologist, author, and bison advocate George Wuerthner explained the bison’s “prancing” behavior.
“This bison could have easily plowed into the tourists,” he said. “That bison was not performing except to demonstrate his agitation. They are so fast, and these people were way too close.”
As mentioned in the Facebook comment, Wuerthner also pointed to the bison’s tail as the telltale sign. He says bisons usually keep their tail down and hanging, but the so-called dancing bison’s tail was rigid the entire time.
“When bison are agitated, their tails are held out straight,” he said. “That’s a sign that you’ve got to be careful. He was really upset.”
Yellowstone National Park is no stranger to attracting tourists who have the slightest clue about the danger they’re in when encountering wild animals. Just last month, a tourist was seen on video taunting a bison that could have easily killed or seriously injured the tourist.
Yellowstone tourists are implored to stay at least 25 yards away from bison. Just four months ago, a 47-year-old man from Cape Coral, Florida, was gored by a bison after he approached it too closely.
