A video shot on May 20 shows a woman standing next to a bison as she took a picture in Biscuit Basin. (Courtesy: Storyful)
A new Instagram filter is helping park visitors know when they are too close to wildlife, particularly those who want to get the “perfect” picture for social media.
Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board said the “Selfie Control” app will help those at Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Park.
When a person opens up the camera through the app, they can choose which animal they’re viewing. A small outline of the animal will appear.
The person can then superimpose the outline over the animal. If the animal is bigger than the icon, the app will let the person tell that they’re too close. They will then be advised to back up further to take the picture.
A bison is pictured in the reserve of the European bison (Bison Bonasus) next to the village of San Cebrian de Muda, in the Palentina Mountain natural park, northern Spain, on July 3, 2023.
(CESAR MANSO / AFP / Getty Images)
“So what we’re excited about is giving people the ability, like another tool, to be able to really understand how far 25 yards is or how far 100 yards is,” Crista Valentino, the executive director of the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board, told Boise State Public Radio, “because it’s difficult to judge that distance when you have such a great expanse.”
Park rangers in Yellowstone said the safest sight of wildlife is inside a vehicle. Visitors are warned to stay between 25 and 100 yards away from wildlife, depending on the species.
This story was reported with information from Visit Jackson Hole and the National Park Service. This story was reported from Los Angeles.