Elk Gets in the Christmas Spirit

(Photo: Parks Canada/Dan Rafla)

He’s an elk, not a reindeer, but this bull elk in Banff, Alberta may be trying out for Santa’s sleigh team. His antlers caught a 4-meter string of Christmas lights and several candy canes. Wildlife officials with Parks Canada, concerned that the decorations might injure him, tranquilized the elk and cut his antlers off.

That may seem like an extreme solution, but a spokesman said that it’s a healthy choice because now he’s not carrying around 25-30 pounds of extra weight on his head. Elk grow antlers every year, so he’ll sport a fresh set soon enough. Until then, he'll be the laughingstock of neighborhood elks.

-via Popped Culture