Can the ‘Selfie Control’ Filter Help Keep People and Wildlife Safe?

No one goes into a trip to a national park planning to become a “touron” chastised on social media for going off trail or taking selfies with huge wild animals. And yet, it happens on the daily. Folks excited by the beautiful or unique landscape decide those railings or boardwalks aren’t going to contain them. Others decide to walk right up to a dangerous animal to get a good photo. It’s the latter group that Visit Jackson Hole is targeting with its new Instagram filter, Selfie Control.

“We’ve all seen the videos on social media: someone gets too close to a bison for a selfie and the next thing you know, they are on the news with wild-animal-induced injuries,” Visit Jackson Hole says on its website. “‘Getting the shot’ is not worth the risk to you or the wildlife, and a little self control can go a long way in Jackson Hole.”

Jackson Hole, Wyoming is a hotspot for wildlife viewing in the United States. Close to both to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, the area is famous for being home to animals like bison, elk, moose, grizzly and black bears, and more.

How Does the Instagram Filter Work?

Selfie Control is an Instagram filter that helps users gauge proper distances from animals while taking photographs for social media. When the filter is applied, an icon shaped like an animal (a bison, for example) appears on the screen. There’s also a note that says, “If bison is larger than this icon then you’re too close.”

The golden rule of wildlife viewing is to give animals 25 yards of space (unless they’re bears or other large carnivores, which require at least 100 yards). This can be hard to visualize, though, so tools like the Selfie Control filter can help.

Check out the Selfie Control filter here.

Source: https://outdoors.com/can-the-selfie-control-filter-help-keep-people-and-wildlife-safe/