Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe BANFF, Alberta, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Canadian wildlife officials said they removed the antlers of a festive elk in Alberta that became tangled in Christmas lights and candy cane ornaments. Parks Canada resource management officer Blair Fyten said officers responded to a resident's call this week about an elk in Banff with lights and candy cane ornaments in its antlers and several yards of lights dragging behind him, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Friday. Advertisement Fyten said officers decided to tranquilize the elk to untangle it. "We thought that it could get wrapped up in its legs and cause some injury and/or get wrapped up in a bush," Fyten said. "This elk is one that frequents the edge of the town site and we just thought there could be another possibility that he could find himself wrapped up in some more Christmas lights," Fyten said. "So instead of putting him through the drugging situation again we decided to cut his antlers off." Fyten said elk lose their antlers annually around March or April. She said the elk seemed to be doing fine this week after having its antlers removed. Advertisement She said the primary purpose of the antlers is to assert dominance during the September mating season. "At this time of year, antlers don't serve a lot of purpose, so that's why we decided to cut them off," Fyten said.
