Wild bear
A brown bear walks near a watching hide located in a core area of around 700 Estonian brown bears, near Alutaguse, north-eastern Estonia, September 15, 2014. Visitors can participate in watching tours and observe bears as well as other animals such as foxes and wild boars from the end of April till beginning of July, and from September to October. Picture taken September 15, 2014. Reuters

The Waterton Canyon park in Denver, Colorado, USA has been closed by taking a serious measure against the growing activity of the public to take pictures with wild bears. The officials said that the visitors trying to take selfies for a few more Instagram or Facebook likes may be the problem, rather than the bears.

The Denver Water and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, or CPW, have taken into account the increasing bear activity and the high volume of visitors in the canyon to close the park on Aug 28. The officials said that the decision is to “reduce the likelihood of a negative encounter from occurring.”

Every year more than 100,000 people visit the park, in which a Denver Water blogpost on Sept. 4 said that about hundreds of visitors each day may be looking for the “perfect wildlife shot,” which is attracting trouble. The CPW added that the current season is not a right time to bother bears, which are preparing to hibernate, just to include them in the picture for an Instagram post, the Guardian reported.

Brandon Ransom, manager of recreation at Denver Water, said in the blogpost that they have actually seen visitors with selfie sticks trying to get as close to the bears as possible, which sometimes goes near than 10 feet of the wild bears. A press release stated that there are currently two mother bears at the canyon, each was carrying twin cubs, and other bears are roaming the area for food.

The recommendation of wildlife experts raising concern for the “safety of the public and well-being of the wildlife” has also encouraged the park officials to close it to the public, Ransom said. To date, the management is still monitoring bear activities with the CPW, and when it subsides, there will be an immediate announcement on reopening the canyon, said Travis Thompson, senior media coordinator for Denver Water.

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