Selfie-Centered Crowd makes Lost Goat Drown in Ocean
Some days, or most, as currently seems, it’s embarrassing to be human. First, someone put a baby bison in his car, then a beachgoer took a seal pup home in her shopping bag, and now narcissistic tourists hungry for photos hound a goat on a beach in Seward, Alaska, to the point that he’s left with no choice but to beeline it for the ocean, ultimately drowning.
According to CNN, troopers in the area received a report of onlookers harassing a mountain goat, but by the time they arrived on scene half an hour later, the white goat was gone. Another call alerted authorities the goat was swimming in front of the SeaLife Center.
Alaska State Troopers report the goat was trying to make its way back into the wilderness, but “a large amount of people followed [it] towards the SeaLife Center on the rocks,” which made it jump into the water.
Faced with a beach covered in photo-snapping onlookers, the goat was cornered, and ended up drowning. Their cloven hooves are made more for balancing on steep terrain, not treading water.
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The Washington Post reports the goat’s body was recovered by a passing boat, and has been donated. Troopers declared the animal had died “for no cause,” but it seems pretty clear to me it died from human negligence.
Humans, especially en masse, are total morons when it comes to many things, wildlife in particular. There’s no harm in photographing animals, but maybe just back up and use your zoom lens. That, or recognize your eyes can be your camera, and your brain can be your film.
Don’t get ahead of yourself and think you work for National Geographic, and don’t be barbaric. Either go home and stay there, or make sure you’ve read the code of ethics for nature photography before you head out into the great outdoors. Seems pretty basic, but the primary tenant is not to stress the animal. Go figure.
