GENESEE TWP, Mich. (WJRT)- Wildlife experts are reminding everyone this year: leave animals alone.

The reminder comes after a video in North Carolina, released by the state’s Wildlife Commission, shows a group of people taking pulling a pair of bear cubs from a tree for their selfies.

It’s something Naturalist Nicole Ferguson, of the Form-Mar Nature Preserve in Genesee Township, said is a very bad idea.

“It’s very dangerous to be messing with any baby with their parent nearby,” she explained.

Ferguson said that goes for any animal- even those without deadly claws.

“Here at For-Mar, we have a lot of geese. And those guys can get very protective of their nests,” she added.

And people don’t put just themselves at risk with this behavior, but the animals as well.

“Loving something to death can be a term used for wildlife sometimes,” said Dustin Isenhoff of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

In another example, he said well-intentioned animal lovers sometimes mistake baby deer as abandoned.

In fact, he said, the mother is often keeping watch nearby. The separation is a tactic to camouflage the fawn and keep it safe.

As a result, human intervention often ends up summoning predators.

“If a human comes in there, they don’t know mom’s around, they introduce their scent [to the fawn], they scare the fawn,” he explained.

“You don’t want the parent of that animal to abandon their baby or think this is an unsafe space to raise their young,” added Ferguson.

Whether it’s a bear, a deer, a goose, or even a frog, the pair told ABC12 wild animals don’t exist to be somebody’s props.

“By messing with the little bit of habitat and the wildlife that’s living there, we’re going to continue to see a decrease in population,” explained Ferguson.

When encountering wildlife, they said the best approach is to not approach it at all.

“Photos are great. We want people to appreciate wildlife. But just at an appropriate distance,” said Isenhoff.

People looking to learn more about safe engagement with wildlife can explore the DNR website.