"Oh, no ... Oh no ... Oh, no ... I’m not messing with you."
We're bringing back this video, just because we love it so much and could all use a laugh! Deion Broxton is a reporter with Montana CNN-affiliate KTVM. And last year, Broxton was working on a solo piece in Yellowstone National Park, which has closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As he was recording, he noticed an approaching herd of bison, and his reaction to them is ... priceless.
Broxton was serving as cameraman that day as well and caught his own reaction on video, before grabbing the camera and running away. To be perfectly honest, we can’t say we would have reacted any differently.
Check out the video below:
There was a herd of bison walking right toward me at @YellowstoneNPS today! pic.twitter.com/sdrBvojpwF
— Deion Broxton KTVM (@DeionNBCMT) March 25, 2020
He also shared footage of what had sent him running, once he was a safe distance away, of course.
Here's the video of the bison I shot once I got a safe distance away lol pic.twitter.com/uL3XiR2ISR
— Deion Broxton KTVM (@DeionNBCMT) March 26, 2020
Broxton’s words have quickly turned into an internet meme and it's being applied to all sorts of internet hilarity. The video posted on Twitter has 15.1 million views, and it's been retweeted over 96,000 times and liked by over 416,000 people on Twitter!
Yellowstone National Park is totally behind Broxton and his reaction, saying he did exactly the right thing.
A perfect example of what to do when approached by wildlife! 🤣 Thanks Deion for putting the #YellowstonePledge into action! https://t.co/A3h75AACeV https://t.co/YyZj7eK6gd
— YellowstoneNPS (@YellowstoneNPS) March 25, 2020
No one should ever approach wildlife in this kind of encounter, so although the video is funny, it's no laughing matter.
There have been several instances of wildlife and animal interaction going very wrong. In July 2019, a bison in Yellowstone charged a 9-year-old girl who was with a group of people near a grazing herd. She was thrown several feet in the air as the animal charged her. The event was captured on video and shared online; the child was injured and given medical treatment after the attack. Yellowstone shared a diagram on appropriate social distancing from wildlife:
Social distancing means avoiding large gatherings and maintaining distance (6 ft) from others. While we're at it, remember to keep it at least 300 ft for larger wildlife.
— National Park Service (@NatlParkService) March 25, 2020
Check park websites for the most up to date information regarding access and services.#SocialDistancing pic.twitter.com/BlqfvGflEO
Bison are the largest land-dwelling mammals in North America and can get very aggressive. Adult males can weigh up to one ton or 2,000 pounds, and the full-grown mammal can run as fast as 40 miles per hour and jump up to six feet in the air. Yellowstone reports that bison have injured more people than any other animal in the park. Officials have warned visitors to stay at least 75 feet away from any of the large animals.
Broxton has enjoyed the attention his posts got and has made some rounds on local radio and television shows to share his experience.
Have you had a close encounter with a bison or other large wild animal? Share with us your reaction to this video in the comments.
