When a widely photographed bull elk died from natural causes in March, Rocky Mountain National Park officials were happy to let nature run its course and allow the corpse of Kahuna to decay naturally.
However, someone illegally removed an antler and skull of Kahuna’s carcass in late March, park rangers said. The other antler is believed to have been shed before his death.
Kahuna had large, distinct antlers, boasting several brow tines on each side. Park rangers said they received reports of him being injured during last year’s mating season and of him looking underweight over the winter.