MAMMOTH, Wyoming — James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan pled guilty Thursday to stepping off a trail in a Yellowstone National Park thermal area back on a November 1st visit to Yellowstone National Park. Brosnan got busted after posting a picture on Instagram throwing a peace sign while standing on the fragile hot spring in at Mammoth Terraces.
Brosnan called in to the court hearing in Mammoth, Wyoming and was punished with a $500 fine and ordered to make a $1,000 donation to Yellowstone Forever, a nonprofit organization that supports the park. Prosecutors were shooting for a $5,000 fine and a two-year probationary sentence.
The actor issued an apology on his Instagram for his mistake:
“I deeply regret my transgression and offer my heartfelt apologies to all for trespassing in this sensitive area. Yellowstone and all our National Parks are to be cared for and preserved for all to enjoy.”
Brosnan says he didn’t see the “no trespassing” sign before entering the mineral-encrusted hot springs bubbling from a hillside. Some would say he got off easy as trespassing in Yellowstone can be quite dangerous and can come with heavy punishments including hefty fines, bans from the park and even jail time.
Lets hope this high-profile case of “touronism” leads to more public awareness and better behavior inside our National Parks.
As an environmentalist I have the utmost respect for and love of our natural world.
However, I made an impulsive mistake – one that I do not take lightly – when entering a thermal area covered in snow in Yellowstone National Park to take a photograph.
I did not see a “No Trespassing” sign posted that warned of danger nor did I hike in the immediate area.I deeply regret my transgression and offer my heartfelt apologies to all for trespassing in this sensitive area.
Yellowstone and all our National Parks are to be cared for and preserved for all to enjoy. #StayOnThePath