(NEXSTAR) – In a bid to keep selfie-seeking amateur photographers from succumbing to their worst instincts around bear, elk, wolves and other wildlife, tourism officials in Jackson Hole, Wyoming have created a new app – Selfie Control.
The app acts as a filter in Instagram, superimposing an image of the animal in question to alert users when they are too close. If the superimposed red image of said animal appears smaller than the animal itself, it’s time to back off.
“For professional photographers and amateurs alike, it’s hard to tell if a moose or bison is 25 or 100 yards away just by ‘eyeballing’ it, especially when you’re in a place like Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Park with sprawling, wide-open spaces,” said Erik Dombroski, chair of the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board. “That’s why we created the Selfie Control filter—so visitors can easily gauge proper distance for their safety, as well as the wildlife they are sharing space with, while still allowing for a memorable shot.”
The app also includes helpful tips, such as: “Grizzlies run 35 mph. Humans? 8.”
(Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board)
To use the app, visitors can search for the Selfie Control filter button on Instagram and cycle through the different animal options to pull up the outline of the one they have spotted.
The current version comes pre-loaded with animals native to Jackson Hole, but the app is open source and can be adapted to any wild destination.
Risky behavior in national parks
Jackson Hole is adjacent to Grand Teton National Park and roughly 60 miles from Yellowstone National Park, making it a natural stop for many visitors.
Wyoming’s national parks have also been the backdrop for headline-worthy bad behavior as visitors ignore rules – and sometimes common sense – while interacting with nature.
From petting a baby bison to putting an elk calf in a car, social media is filled with countless examples of visitors risking their lives for a closer look or that perfect selfie. Multiple visitors who found themselves too close to wildlife have been gored in recent years.
Despite the poor judgement of some visitors around bears, bison, moose and other powerful animals, deaths caused by wildlife are exceedingly rare, with just three recorded across all parks from 2014 to 2019. The leading causes of death in the park system are motor vehicle crashes, drownings and falls.
The National Park Service has the following tips for park visitors trying to see wildlife:
- Find out how far to stay away from animals, and follow the rules
- Stay on the safe side of barriers
- Use the zoom function on your lens or cellphone, if you’re close enough for a selfie, you’re too close.
- If you see an animal, you are responsible for backing up to a safe distance, even if the animal moves toward you.