This is just a continuing trend from when the parks opened. A significant number of city/suburban folks have lived a bubble wrapped life and only know animals from movies/TV/internet.
If you look back to a hundred years ago, you will find equally stupid things occurring. The Wiki article on Yellowstone notes:
“The feeding of “tame” black bears was popular with tourists in the early days of the park, but led to 527 injuries between 1931 and 1939.”
The difference now is the volume of visitors, not the stupidity of human beings.
it’s why you buy a Subaru...... to get out there, close to the animals
I couldn't disagree more, it's the volume of stupidity we're seeing. The behavior in National Parks is but a small example of stupid behavior.