A good selfie might garner Internet fame but is it really worth your life? Officials at Waterton Canyon in Denver are saying no which is why they shut down the canyon to visitors for the foreseeable future.
According to the Daily Dot, an alarming number of tourists—who seem to forget that turning your back on a bear is essentially handing in your life card—have gotten too close for comfort to the furry creatures.
"We’ve actually seen people using selfie sticks to try and get as close to the bears as possible, sometimes within 10 feet of wild bears," Brandon Ransom, Denver Water’s manager of recreation, told 7NEWS Denver. "The current situation is not conducive for the safety of our visitors or the well-being of the wildlife.”
Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Matt Robbins added, “It’s a poor choice from our perspective A.) to get that close to wildlife and B.) to turn your back, particularly on bears.”
They do have a point. Bears have claws sharp enough to maim and the strength to handle an adult human like a rag doll. Perhaps it’s time to put down the selfie stick and just soak in your surroundings. Social media can wait.
