Latest news with #bacterialMats
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Yahoo
Yellowstone Visitors Horrified After Tourist Walked Across Forbidden Off-Limits Zone in Flip-Flops
Photos of the incident show the man casually walking across the park's delicate protected bacterial mats to collect fallen hatsNEED TO KNOW A man in flip-flops recently walked across a protected off-limits zone in Yellowstone National Park, per a July 30 post in a public Facebook group Photos of the incident show the man collecting hats that had blown onto the ground The man was trespassing on delicate bacterial mats near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring, an offense that is punishable by lawYellowstone visitors were shocked and horrified when an anonymous tourist walked across a protected off-limits zone in flip-flops. The incident occurred on July 28, according to a July 30 post in the public Facebook group 'Yellowstone: Invasion of the Idiots,' where park lovers can share incidents of visitors defying park rules and common-sense safety protocols. Photos of the incident included within the post show the unknown man stepping out onto a bacterial mat near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring. These mats are comprised of delicate living organisms and give the landscape its signature colorful appearance, per the National Park Service. The organisms — called thermophiles — grow and thrive in the intense heat of the park's thermal basin, and are incredibly sensitive to outside disturbances. The man, who appeared to be picking up hats that had blown onto the mats, was seen walking on the nearby boardwalk with a woman when he exited the boardwalk and 'illegally and repeatedly' walked 'all over the bacterial mats,' per the post. PEOPLE reached out to Yellowstone National Park for comment on Saturday, Aug. 2, but did not receive an immediate response. Walking on the mats is considered 'thermal trespassing,' and is punishable by fines, park bans and even jail time. In 2024, a 21-year-old tourist was sentenced to seven days in jail and was banned from the park for two years after he walked off a designated visitor area to get closer to Steamboat Geyser, the world's tallest active geyser, according to The New York Times. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! In 2020, two men were each sentenced to 10 days in jail, a fine of $540, five years of unsupervised probation and a five-year ban from the park for trespassing on the cone of Old Faithful Geyser, per a press release from the National Park Service. 'Visitors must realize that walking on thermal features is dangerous, damages the resource [is] and illegal,' Chief Ranger Sarah Davis said in a statement at the time, per the release. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'Law enforcement officers take this violation seriously. Yellowstone National Park also appreciates the court for recognizing the impact thermal trespass can have on these amazing features,' Davis added. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Yahoo
Yellowstone Visitors Horrified After Tourist Walked Across Forbidden Off-Limits Zone in Flip-Flops
Photos of the incident show the man casually walking across the park's delicate protected bacterial mats to collect fallen hatsNEED TO KNOW A man in flip-flops recently walked across a protected off-limits zone in Yellowstone National Park, per a July 30 post in a public Facebook group Photos of the incident show the man collecting hats that had blown onto the ground The man was trespassing on delicate bacterial mats near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring, an offense that is punishable by lawYellowstone visitors were shocked and horrified when an anonymous tourist walked across a protected off-limits zone in flip-flops. The incident occurred on July 28, according to a July 30 post in the public Facebook group 'Yellowstone: Invasion of the Idiots,' where park lovers can share incidents of visitors defying park rules and common-sense safety protocols. Photos of the incident included within the post show the unknown man stepping out onto a bacterial mat near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring. These mats are comprised of delicate living organisms and give the landscape its signature colorful appearance, per the National Park Service. The organisms — called thermophiles — grow and thrive in the intense heat of the park's thermal basin, and are incredibly sensitive to outside disturbances. The man, who appeared to be picking up hats that had blown onto the mats, was seen walking on the nearby boardwalk with a woman when he exited the boardwalk and 'illegally and repeatedly' walked 'all over the bacterial mats,' per the post. PEOPLE reached out to Yellowstone National Park for comment on Saturday, Aug. 2, but did not receive an immediate response. Walking on the mats is considered 'thermal trespassing,' and is punishable by fines, park bans and even jail time. In 2024, a 21-year-old tourist was sentenced to seven days in jail and was banned from the park for two years after he walked off a designated visitor area to get closer to Steamboat Geyser, the world's tallest active geyser, according to The New York Times. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! In 2020, two men were each sentenced to 10 days in jail, a fine of $540, five years of unsupervised probation and a five-year ban from the park for trespassing on the cone of Old Faithful Geyser, per a press release from the National Park Service. 'Visitors must realize that walking on thermal features is dangerous, damages the resource [is] and illegal,' Chief Ranger Sarah Davis said in a statement at the time, per the release. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'Law enforcement officers take this violation seriously. Yellowstone National Park also appreciates the court for recognizing the impact thermal trespass can have on these amazing features,' Davis added. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Yahoo
Yellowstone Visitors Horrified After Tourist Walked Across Forbidden Off-Limits Zone in Flip-Flops
Photos of the incident show the man casually walking across the park's delicate protected bacterial mats to collect fallen hatsNEED TO KNOW A man in flip-flops recently walked across a protected off-limits zone in Yellowstone National Park, per a July 30 post in a public Facebook group Photos of the incident show the man collecting hats that had blown onto the ground The man was trespassing on delicate bacterial mats near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring, an offense that is punishable by lawYellowstone visitors were shocked and horrified when an anonymous tourist walked across a protected off-limits zone in flip-flops. The incident occurred on July 28, according to a July 30 post in the public Facebook group 'Yellowstone: Invasion of the Idiots,' where park lovers can share incidents of visitors defying park rules and common-sense safety protocols. Photos of the incident included within the post show the unknown man stepping out onto a bacterial mat near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring. These mats are comprised of delicate living organisms and give the landscape its signature colorful appearance, per the National Park Service. The organisms — called thermophiles — grow and thrive in the intense heat of the park's thermal basin, and are incredibly sensitive to outside disturbances. The man, who appeared to be picking up hats that had blown onto the mats, was seen walking on the nearby boardwalk with a woman when he exited the boardwalk and 'illegally and repeatedly' walked 'all over the bacterial mats,' per the post. PEOPLE reached out to Yellowstone National Park for comment on Saturday, Aug. 2, but did not receive an immediate response. Walking on the mats is considered 'thermal trespassing,' and is punishable by fines, park bans and even jail time. In 2024, a 21-year-old tourist was sentenced to seven days in jail and was banned from the park for two years after he walked off a designated visitor area to get closer to Steamboat Geyser, the world's tallest active geyser, according to The New York Times. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! In 2020, two men were each sentenced to 10 days in jail, a fine of $540, five years of unsupervised probation and a five-year ban from the park for trespassing on the cone of Old Faithful Geyser, per a press release from the National Park Service. 'Visitors must realize that walking on thermal features is dangerous, damages the resource [is] and illegal,' Chief Ranger Sarah Davis said in a statement at the time, per the release. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'Law enforcement officers take this violation seriously. Yellowstone National Park also appreciates the court for recognizing the impact thermal trespass can have on these amazing features,' Davis added. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
02-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Outrage as idiotic Yellowstone tourist trespasses onto iconic colorful ecosystem near hot spring
A tourist has sparked outrage after wandering off a trail at Yellowstone National Park and trampling over a hot spring's delicate eco system. The visitor ventured off designated boardwalks to retrieve baseball caps blown onto the iconic bacterial mats near the Grand Prismatic Spring. Yellowstone's bacterial mats are delicate ecosystems composed of thermophiles, or heat-loving microscopic organisms. They flourish in the Montana park's thermal basins, creating Yellowstone's famously colorful landscapes. Disturbing these mats, whether intentionally or accidentally, is classified as thermal trespassing. Images of the the tourist's reckless behavior on Monday quickly circulated on social media, where it was widely slammed. It comes after a 17-year-old tourist was left with scalding burns after his foot went broke through the crust near a geyser at the park. 'Darwinism at its best,' one user said of the thermal mat trespasser. 'They need to start hitting these stupid people where it hurts the most…their wallets. Minimum $5k fine and ban from all National Parks,' said another. 'Maybe they need to give a standard IQ test before you are allowed entry into the park,' one person said. 'Ban him from all National Parks for life. He can't read or follow directions and obviously has no regard for the importance and fragility of the area,' said yet another. Discarded items such as hats, water bottles, and other personal belongings occasionally end up on these sensitive ecosystems due to wind gusts or carelessness. Jeff Henry, a lifelong Yellowstone employee, emphasized that while the bacterial mats have a degree of resilience, repeated foot traffic could cause significant harm. 'The impact of a large number of people stepping on the bacterial mats is obviously something that can't be tolerated,' he told Cowboy State Daily. Yellowstone authorities urge visitors to respect and adhere to protective guidelines, emphasizing that the continued beauty and health of these natural wonders depend on responsible visitor behavior. This latest case comes just days after a 17-year-old tourist suffered 'significant thermal burns' near Yellowstone National Park's Lone Star Geyser. According to park officials, the teen was hiking Monday morning in the Lone Star Geyser Basin, about three miles southeast of Old Faithful, when his foot broke through the thin crust surrounding a thermal area. His foot plunged into scalding water, which can reach temperatures between 160 and 200 degrees, causing severe burns to his foot and ankle. And celebrities aren't exempt from the public scrutiny. Last year, James Bond star Pierce Brosnan pleaded guilty to illegally hiking into a protected thermal area at Yellowstone National Park and agreed to pay a $1,500 fine. The actor initially pleaded not guilty after he was cited for venturing off-trail near the park's Mammoth Terraces in November 2023. According to court documents filed last March, Brosnan admitted to one of two charges for straying into the restricted hot spring zone to get a closer look at the thermals.
