(NEXSTAR) – To prevent amateur photographers from succumbing to their worst instincts while seeking selfies near bears, moose, wolves and other wildlife, tourism officials in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, have developed a new app: Selfie Control.
The app acts as a filter on Instagram, overlaying an image of the animal in question to warn the user if they get too close. If the superimposed red image of said animal appears smaller than the animal itself, it’s time to back off.
“It’s hard for professional photographers and amateurs to tell if a moose or bison is 25 or 100 yards away just by ‘looking,’ especially when you’re in a place like Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Park with its wide open spaces,” said Erik Dombroski, chairman of the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board. “That’s why we developed the Selfie Control filter – so visitors can easily estimate the right distance for their own safety as well as the wildlife they share the space with, and still get a memorable photo.”
The app also includes helpful tips, such as: “Grizzlies run 35 miles per hour. Humans? 8.”
(Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Association)
To use the app, visitors can look for the “Selfie Control” filter button on Instagram and scroll through the different animal options to see the outline of the animal they spotted.
The current version comes pre-installed with animals native to Jackson Hole, but the app is open source and can be adapted to any wilderness destination.
Risky behavior in national parks
Jackson Hole borders Grand Teton National Park and is about 60 miles from Yellowstone National Park, making it a natural stopover for many visitors.
Wyoming’s national parks have also been the scene of headline-grabbing abuses as visitors ignore rules – and sometimes common sense – in their interactions with nature.
From petting a baby bison to getting into a car, social media is full of examples of visitors risking their lives to get a closer look or the perfect selfie. In recent years, several visitors have been gored for getting too close to the wildlife.
Despite some visitors’ misjudgments when dealing with bears, bison, moose and other powerful animals, wildlife deaths are extremely rare. Between 2014 and 2019, only three deaths were recorded in all parks. The most common causes of death in the parks are car accidents, drowning and falls.
The National Park Service offers the following tips for park visitors who want to observe wildlife:
- Find out about the required distance from animals and follow the rules
- Stay on the safe side of the barriers
- Use the zoom function on your lens or phone. If you’re close enough for a selfie, you’re too close.
- If you see an animal, it is your responsibility to maintain a safe distance, even if the animal is approaching you.
