Alaska Beat

Bizarre killing of small pets in Denali Park leaves turtle as only survivor

From the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Denali National Park workers driving on the park road last week came upon a bizarre scene: the remains of a campfire surrounded by animal parts and several Petco pet store boxes. The animal parts weren't from a moose or bear; they were from a snake, a mystery rodent and a non-native mouse species. One of the Petco boxes held a survivor: a turtle that's now named Lucky.

Park employees driving out the park road midweek to check on the massive landslide at 37 Mile, inside Denali National Park, noticed garbage strewn about on the asphalt parking pullout at 5 Mile.

Someone had built a fire, using one of those firewood bundles available at convenience stores.

"We started seeing animal entrails scattered about the scene," said Denny Capps, park geologist. ...

Then Capps and crew noticed the fire had been used to cook small animals.

Rangers, who say they're investigating the find, can only speculate about the motive.

Read more: Turtle survives mysterious pet killings in Denali Park

Anchorage

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