Anyone who’s walked through a national park knows the sounds. Birds chirping. The wind rustling the trees. A river or two, if you’re lucky.
But visitors to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming experienced a highly unusual aural sensation.
A post on Instagram from Tourons of Yellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone) showed that one man set up a full DJ booth in the middle of the park and was blasting music through giant speakers.
The video’s caption reads, “I’ve never seen anyone set up a DJ booth in a national park. I don’t think there is a specific rule against it other than the noise factor. Just when you thought you had seen it all…”
The story got even stranger. When Peter Mangolds (@grizzlymanchild) confronted the record spinner, the DJ said that Ansel Adams had “visited him in a dream and told him to play there.” As he was removed from his spot, he played Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech.
“Why would someone think this was a good idea?” asked one user.
National parks are supposed to be quiet places, providing a break from city noise. As research published in the journal Electronic Physician detailed, noise pollution isn’t just annoying; it can also harm human health and damage blood cells.
Noise pollution can also harm wildlife. Animals rely on sound to locate food, identify predators, and find mates. Loud, unnatural noises can confuse them, cause stress, and drive them away from their homes.
But there are folks out there making a positive difference.
Many groups work to keep parks clean and peaceful. Waste reduction programs are helping to keep trash out of parks. Clean-up efforts in places like Sarasota’s Celery Fields are also helping nature thrive. Companies like Vodafone have even added quiet tech solutions to parks that limit noise pollution while improving safety and enjoyment for all visitors.
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When visitors disrespect nature, it can also increase the likelihood of human-wildlife interactions. These can go sideways quickly, and unfortunately, if an animal injures a human — provoked or not — they may be euthanized. Good manners while out in the wild can help protect these peaceful places and the animals that live there.
People on Instagram weren’t thrilled with the video. One user wrote, “When I’m in nature, I want the noise of the outside world off. I want to be immersed in the sounds of a breeze in the trees, the buzzing of a bee nearby, the sound of water flowing, crunching of sticks under footsteps. “
Another user added, “All I can think of is how badly he is stressing the animals. Noise pollution can even cause mothers to abandon nests.”
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