It will be a much merrier Christmas for one bull elk in Banff National Park.
On Dec. 18, a local resident reported seeing an elk with tangled in holiday decorations, including lights with electrical wires hanging from its antlers, according to CTV.
Wildlife specialists with Parks Canada found the animal at the edge of town, injured and jumped into rescue mode. The animal was drugged. And, its antlers were removed to prevent the seasonal kitsch from getting snared on brush or wrapped around its legs, which could seriously hurt or even kill the animal.
And, what of the antlers?
They were cut into small chunks and left in the park to be nibbled on by rodents. It’s illegal to remove antlers from the park. Parks Canada is also reminding any local Clark Griswold’s to secure their outdoor Christmas decorations.
h/t CTV Photo Dan Rafla/Parks Canada
