Tourists can't stop touching wild animals at national parks - The Washington Post

. . . People who approach wild animals aren’t brave; they are deluded. They might convince themselves that they are neither endangering themselves nor the wildlife, and that the animals don’t mind their presence — a condition that Carol Kline, director of the hospitality and tourism management program at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, calls “cognitive dissonance " . . ..

The loon can stay underwater for up to five minutes, its signature red eyes helping it locate prey while submerged. Common loons are skilled in flight, sometimes reaching speeds of 70 miles (110 kilometers) an hour. Because of their relatively heavy bodies, they need a long "runway" to take off for flight and can only do so from water. Their legs trail out behind them while in flight, a characteristic held by all loons.

When soaring, [ turkey vultures ] hold their wings slightly raised, appearing as a “V” when seen head-on. . . Bald eagles soar with their broad wings on a flat plane.