EPISODE PREMIERES SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 AT 8PM ET/PT
NEW YORK, NY – (August 19, 2024) – The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper, a CNN Original, returns with an exploration into Yellowstone National Park, where tourists are pushing precarious boundaries with the native wildlife to dangerous effect. “Close Encounters: Tourists in the Wild” with CNN Senior National Correspondent Ed Lavandera premieres Sunday, August 25 at 8pm ET/PT on CNN.
Lavandera ventures through America’s oldest national park – 3,500 square miles with a large population of bison, grizzly bears and wolves, plus more than 10,000 hydrothermal features including geysers and hot springs. He witnesses firsthand how the lure of admiring wildlife up close can lead to hazardous outcomes and discovers how tourists behaving badly is a longstanding issue at Yellowstone.
“This assignment into Yellowstone National Park was an absolute rush of excitement and fascination,” said Lavandera. “It reminded me of the words by the iconic environmental activist, John Muir, who wrote, ‘you will remember these fine, wild views and look back with joy to your wanderings in the blessed old Yellowstone Wonderland.’ On our journey, we met fascinating people who live their lives on the edges of the wild, constantly exploring their curiosity of the natural world. It’s a perfect reminder of how deeply rejuvenating and intense it feels to answer the call of the wild.”
Lavandera rides along with a nature filmmaker in the park and speaks with two survivors of harrowing wildlife attacks. Wildlife experts show Lavandera how to safely observe all the magnificent wilderness the park has to offer as he encounters grizzly bears, a herd of bison, rocky mountain elk, bald eagles and more.
The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper is executive produced by Susan Chun.
The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper will stream live for pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV and mobile apps on Sunday, August 25. “Close Encounters: Tourists in the Wild” will also be available on demand beginning Monday, August 26 to pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV and mobile apps, and Cable Operator Platforms. Past episodes of The Whole Story are available to stream on demand now on Max.
The Whole Story is also available as a CNN Audio showcast. Visit CNN.com/audio or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
