National Park Service Boldly Goes Where Plenty Have Gone Before

Star Trek Day is celebrated Sept. 8, marking the anniversary of the original television series’ debut in 1966.

Source: National Park Service (via Facebook)
Photo: Courtesy

The National Park Service marked Star Trek Day this week with some advice for exploring strange new worlds — including what to do when one of those worlds contains a bear.

The Bureau of Land Management celebrated National Wildlife Day (a few days prior to “Star Trek Day”) with a look at some of the animals that call New Mexico’s public lands home. From birds overhead to wildlife on the ground, each species plays a role in the state’s ecosystems. BLM reminds visitors to respect wildlife habitat, observe animals from a safe distance and leave no trace while exploring public lands. (Source: Bureau of Land Management – New Mexico via Facebook)

“Captain’s log: We have made First Contact with a bear,” the Park Service wrote. “The bear would like to be left alone.”

Its recommendation: good plan.

Star Trek Day is celebrated Sept. 8, marking the anniversary of the original television series’ debut in 1966. Sixty years later, the National Park Service borrowed some of the franchise’s language to offer decidedly terrestrial advice about exploring unfamiliar places.

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Visitors were encouraged to “explore new worlds” by visiting somewhere new — preferably with a map — while the Prime Directive received a National Park Service amendment: leave wildlife wild.

“Do not interfere, feed, pet, challenge, or attempt diplomatic relations with them,” the agency advised.

Seeking out new life is encouraged, provided visitors look, listen and observe rather than “beam anything aboard.”

And before boldly going anywhere, the Park Service recommends the decidedly less futuristic precautions of bringing water, checking the weather, telling someone where you’re going and planning for the possibility that cell service may not be available.

Mountains, deserts, caves, forests, oceans and dark skies provide plenty of strange new worlds without leaving Earth — along with wildlife that may have little interest in joining an away team.

The Park Service even found an appropriate representative from Starfleet.

A Clymene haptoera moth photographed at Mammoth Cave National Park sports markings across its wings that bear a remarkable resemblance to Star Trek’s familiar Starfleet insignia.

And should First Contact with a bear become Second Contact?

Leave it alone.

Live long and prosper.