Several people were caught on video surrounding two wild bull elks in a meadow at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado earlier this month.

Penalties and jail time could soon follow for those who came within just inches of the two wild bulls, which is prohibited inside the park. Rocky Mountain National Park officials advise staying at least 25 yards away from all wildlife.

In the video, a child appears to bend down and possibly reach out to pet one of the elks.

A report from Fox31 News says park officials are aware of the footage and believe the child did not make contact with the elk based on the angle of the video.

This instance bears resemblance to another encounter that recently occurred in Yellowstone National Park in which a bear bluff charged a woman that was taking photos from a close proximity. In that case, the woman ended up being charged with ‘feeding, touching, teasing, frightening, or intentionally disturbing wildlife and violating closures and use limits.’ Her initial court appearance is set for August 26.

Getting too close to wildlife leaves park visitors vulnerable to attack, but unfortunately, this issue isn’t uncommon in Colorado. 

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In a similar incident, video surfaced of a woman petting a wild bull elk in Estes Park.

In another incident, a woman was knocked to the ground after a bull elk charged into a group of visitors at Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Elk are one of the largest members of the deer family. Male bull elks can weigh more than 700 pounds and stand up to five feet tall at the shoulder.

Reservations are currently required for visiting Rocky Mountain National Park. The 265,769-acre park is nestled right outside of Estes Park, just about 2 hours from the city of Denver. More details can be found here.

Editor’s Note: Elk are wild animals and can be aggressive. Please keep your distance. Don’t approach or feed the wildlife.