An “idiot” tourist has sparked outrage after he wandered off a trail and trampled over a delicate eco system in his flip-flops.
The man, who appeared to be picking up a hat that had blown into the area, was seen “illegally and repeatedly” walking over the forbidden zone at a famous national park.
The land is home to bacterial mats – dense, multi-layered sheets of microorganisms, primarily bacteria, that grow on moist surfaces, as reported by Need To Know.
They are some of the oldest and most resilient ecosystems on Earth, dating back over 3.5 billion years.
Walking on the mats is considered “thermal trespassing” and is punishable by fines, park bans and even jail time.
The incident took place near the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, US, on 28 July.
It is the largest hot spring in the US, and the third largest in the world.
The man’s antics were shared online by a fellow visitor, who uploaded a series of photos to a Facebook group called Yellowstone National Park: Invasion of the Idiots.
Many people slammed his behaviour.
One person wrote: “Brainless.”
Michelle said: “Were there no rangers there to see this. What a moron.”
Another added: “Special kind of stupid right there.”
Curt said: “Idiot”
Another said: “My guess is he thinks he was doing a good thing by removing them and gave no thought to the damage or danger.
“Some people just have NO common sense.”
Francis added: “He is lucky to be alive.”
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.”
Jam Press has contacted Yellowstone National Park for comment.
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