A Photographer Captured Video of a Man Approaching Wolves in Yellowstone National Park

No trip to Yellowstone National Park is complete without viewing majestic howling wolves from a safe distance. While wolves are, in theory, fairly safe inside the confines of Yellowstone National Park, their lives are no doubt threatened when humans with no sense of respect for nature get way too close to them and force unpredictable behavior.

Such was the case when a photographer captured infuriating footage of a man wandering through Yellowstone, getting ever closer to a pack of wolves.

What on earth was the man doing, and what do we know about his whereabouts following his encounter with the pack of wolves? Were the wolves safe and sound following their chance encounter with the man, or did the man have nefarious intentions in mind?

Below, we report on what we know at this point about the man who stumbled into wolf territory in Yellowstone National Park and inched closer and closer to the wolves.

A photographer named Keith Kerbs posted incredibly infuriating video footage to Instagram depicting a strange man stumbling towards a pack of wolves in Yellowstone National Park.

While four of the five wolves watch the man from a distance, one of the five wolves is positioned extremely close to the man with unknown intentions.

"I’m in Yellowstone most of this week to photograph the scenery and wildlife," Kerbs wrote in the caption of the Instagram video. "[I] had to share this video I took this morning from a safe distance of a very foolish man and a pack of wolves. He almost didn’t make it out alive."

Perhaps it is no surprise that the most popular comments on Kerbs' video are in favor of the safety of the wolves — at the risk of harm to the strange man.

"Darn, I was hoping that dope was gonna get torn to shreds," the top comment reads.

"Not only is he endangering himself but the wolves as well...if they had attacked him they might have been euthanized...what a [jerk]," another top comment reads.

For those who don't watch Instagram videos with the sound on, allow USA TODAY to add some context to the video. "Kerbs can be heard yelling, 'What an idiot!' as he films the man, who first runs towards the wolves, then sprays something believed to be bear spray at them while backing away."

It is a horrifying realization that a man encroached upon the territory of a pack of wolves, likely doused them with self-defense spray, and then went on his merry way.

As we've said time and time again: when visiting Yellowstone National Park, do not interact with wildlife — for their protection and for yours. Unsafe interactions with wildlife pose a threat to their safety, disrupt their natural behavior patterns, and may very well result in the untimely death of the culprit.

Even more harrowing is that the wildlife deemed responsible for the death of a human may be euthanized. If it wasn't already clear: admire wildlife from a safe and respectful distance.