A story that started off as viral catnip highlighting the thoughtlessness of tourists took a dark turn on Monday.
The National Park Service announced that a bison calf, which was put in the back of a van by tourists at Yellowstone National Park who thought it looked cold, had to be euthanized.
The story of the tourists went viral over the weekend after a picture of the baby bison in the van was posted online.
"[Karen Richardson of Victor, who posted the picture,] says on Monday, as students were being taught at Lamar Buffalo Ranch, a father and son pulled up at the ranger station with a bison calf in their SUV.
" 'They were demanding to speak with a ranger,' Richardson tells EastIdahoNews.com. 'They were seriously worried that the calf was freezing and dying.'
"Rob Heusevelet, a father of a student, told the men to remove the bison from their car and warned they could be in trouble for having the animal.
" 'They didn't care,' Heusevelet says. 'They sincerely thought they were doing a service and helping that calf by trying to save it from the cold.' "
The tourists were ticketed, but today the Park Service said that following the incident, the baby bison was rejected by its family.