- Animals
- Explainer
How to stay safe around wild animals
Beyond common sense, there are few simple rules for enjoying wildlife that can prevent dangerous encounters.
With summer being the busiest season for most U.S. national parks, the potential for run-ins with wildlife increases—and so do visits to the emergency room.
Though most people imagine bears or bison are the animals to watch out for, even small mammals can pose a risk.
“At the Grand Canyon, the number one reason people end up at the clinic is from squirrel bites,” says Kathy Kupper, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Park Service.
It’s illegal to approach, harass, or feed any type of wildlife in national parks, adds Kupper. “No matter the size, no matter how harmless or safe they appear.”
Between 2008 and 2015 in the United States, 1,160 people died in animal encounters, mostly due to domestic
