Moose antlers on the loose: Hikers put call out for missing animal shed
A group of hikers from Calgary came across a unique find while exploring in the Alberta Rockies last summer.
At the start of August 2021, James Crawford, along with two friends, hiked Mount Smutwood, in Kananaskis Country, west of Calgary.
“Near the top of the mountain we saw a lot of beautiful sights,” said Crawford, an avid hiker. “(There was) also the remains of a glacier up there, so we went to check that out.”
As they got closer, the group came across something unexpected.
“There was a moose antler. It appeared to have just thawed from the glacier,” said Crawford. “And we looked it over and it wasn't just a shed, there was some skull attached, and some jaw and vertebrae.”
The group left the bones where they were, making sure not to disturb what they'd found.
“(In the parks) just take pictures and leave only footprints,” said Crawford.
According to the province, antlers or any other naturally shed wildlife parts can only be kept without a special permit if they were found outside a national or provincial park.
In national parks, collecting wildlife like berries, fossils or even antlers is illegal. The government says any discoveries should be reported to the nearest park office.
A piece of jawbone and teeth discovered near the antlers. (Courtesy James Crawford)
When it comes to fossils, the Royal Tyrrell Museum says a discovery should be photographed and the location properly documented then reported to officials and left alone.
“It was surprising,” said Lisa Kolias, who was there when the bones were found. “We were excited and shocked to see an antler and the remnants so high up. (You) don't generally see wildlife up that high.”
Kolias described the bones as old and spongy, yet still pristinely intact.
Crawford contacted officials to report the moose remains but he says by the time researchers went to collect them a couple weeks later, the antlers were gone – taken either by animal or human. The other fragments of the moose were still there.
“It’s still important to (the researchers) and so they would like to have it,” said Crawford.
Crawford has put a call out on social media to see if anyone knows the whereabouts of the antlers, and says he would be happy to connect them with the appropriate researchers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
'I killed four people': Trial hears video evidence of Jeremy Skibicki at Winnipeg trial
“I killed four people,” alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki told two homicide detectives during a recorded interview played as evidence in his trial Wednesday.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.