ACTOR PIERCE BROSNAN has been hit with a fine of over €400 for entering an off-limits thermal area during a visit to Yellowstone National Park in the United States.

Brosnan pleaded guilty to the act and was caught after he posted images of the transgression online.

Yellowstone National Park is mostly in the state of Wyoming, though it also spreads into parts of Montana and Idaho.

It’s famed for its canyons, hot springs and geysers, with “Old Faithful” being its most well-known geyser.

View of Old Faithful erupting at Yellowstone National Park Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

He was fined $500 (€459) and ordered to make a donation of $1,000 dollars (€918) to Yellowstone Forever – a non-profit organisation that supports the park – by 1 April, court records show.

Prosecutors had recommended a fine of $5,000 (£4,592) and a two-year probationary sentence.

A second petty offence, for violating closures and use limits, was dismissed by US Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick.

Brosnan’s attorney, Karl Knuchel, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In a post on his Instagram page, Brosnan apologised for his “impulsive mistake” that he “does not take lightly”.

Yellowstone National Park panoramic view at sunset, Wyoming, USA Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Brosnan explained that he entered a thermal area that was covered in snow to take a photograph but “did not see a ‘No Trespassing’ sign posted that warned of danger nor did I hike in the immediate area”.

He described himself as an “environmentalist” and added that he has the “utmost respect for and love of our natural world”.

“I deeply regret my transgression and offer my heartfelt apologies to all for trespassing in this sensitive area,” said Brosnan.

“Yellowstone and all our National Parks are to be cared for and preserved for all to enjoy.”

Brosnan, 70, walked in an off-limits area at Mammoth Terraces, in the northern part of Yellowstone near the Wyoming-Montana line, on 1 November, according to the citations.

He was in the park on a personal visit and not for film work, the US Attorney’s Office for Wyoming has said.

However, he uploaded images of himself standing in the snow on the thermal feature to his Instagram page.

Mammoth Terraces is a scenic spot of mineral-encrusted hot springs bubbling from a hillside.

They are just some of the park’s hundreds of thermal features, which range from geysers to mud pots, with water at or near the boiling point.

Going out-of-bounds in such areas can be dangerous.

Some of the millions of people who visit Yellowstone each year get badly burned by ignoring warnings not to stray off the trail.

Getting caught can bring legal peril, too, with jail time, hefty fines and bans from the park handed down to trespassers regularly.

-With additional reporting from Press Association