Just in case you weren’t aware, the thermal waters in Yellowstone National Park are not only extremely dangerous, it’s actually illegal to walk in them.
Ragga Ragnars (@raggaragnars), who is an influencer with over 500k followers on Instagram, allegedly posted the picture in question.
It has since been deleted from her account, but screenshots show her clearly violating Yellowstone Park Rules about walking on thermal features.
Here’s the original photo:
An uneducated person might think Ragnars’ actions are harmless, but the consequences are hefty.
Just last year, a woman was fined over $2,000 and given a 7-day jail sentence for leaving Yellowstone’s designated boardwalks to wade through thermal waters, according to CNN.
Park spokesperson Morgan Warthin said in a statement:
“The ground is fragile and thin and scalding water just below the surface can cause severe or fatal burns. More than 20 people have died from burns suffered after they entered or fell into Yellowstone’s hot springs,” (via CNN)
Imagine walking into near boiling water on a thin crust of soil for likes on social media… What has the world come to?
Ragnars has deleted her post, but the image has been shared by multiple meme/troll accounts across the internet. Here are some of the best comments roasting Ragnars for her stupidity on a post by @touronsofyellowstone:
Neither Yellowstone nor the National Parks Service has released a statement on the incident at this time. They will most likely launch an investigation and dish out heavy fines/jail time like they’ve done in previous incidences.
If you’re planning on visiting Yellowstone National Park in the future do us all a few favors, okay? Educate yourself on safety practices around wild animals, obey all signs, and for God’s sake don’t walk in the thermal waters.
Taking a picture for likes isn’t worth your life or the integrity of the beautifully preserved thermal features of the park.