Reporter who fled bison gets an official national park safety poster
On March 25, NBC reporter Deion Broxton made the wise decision to avoid a herd of bison.
Broxton's judgment to hastily pack up his camera, which was still recording, went viral. (The good kind of viral. Not this kind.)
"Oh no, I'm not messing with you," Broxton said. Broxton told Mashable that one particular bison had started trotting towards him, prompting his decision to flee.
Yellowstone National Park appreciated Broxton's rational decision-making (now viewed 10.7 million times on Twitter) around the dangerous, unpredictable megafauna. The park made a wildlife safety poster, influenced by Broxton's experience.
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Although bison can be aggressive and run up to 30 mph, people commonly — and foolishly — still approach or crowd Yellowstone bison. Last year, a bison violently tossed a girl into the air.
Why do people approach large, dangerous animals? Modern civilization, largely isolated from the natural world, often leaves people ignorant about the wilderness, say experts. This includes the behavior of wild animals.
But Broxton, a Montana reporter, has a clear respect for the Yellowstone wilderness, and the 2,000-pound creatures therein.
Yellowstone is currently closed due to the rapid and rising spread of the coronavirus, which sickens both young and old alike with the grim respiratory disease COVID-19.
Most of us don't have to worry about bison in our communities. But as infectious disease experts repeatedly emphasize, we must all keep a safe distance (at least six feet) from each other to significantly curb the spread of this potent virus.
Mark was the science editor at Mashable. After working as a ranger with the National Park Service, he started a reporting career after seeing the extraordinary value in educating people about the happenings on Earth, and beyond.
He's descended 2,500 feet into the ocean depths in search of the sixgill shark, ventured into the halls of top R&D laboratories, and interviewed some of the most fascinating scientists in the world.
