Animal carcasses are being left in Fishlake National Forest
Apr 25, 2022, 3:37 PM
Animal carcasses left in Fishlake National Forest. Photo credit: U.S. Forest Service-Fishlake National Forest.
SEVIER COUNTY, Utah — On Monday the U.S. Forest Service took to Facebook warning individuals not to leave discarded animal carcasses and parts in the forest.
“Elk, cow, turkeys, and deer carcasses can be found all over the forest,” said Doug Robison, Fillmore Ranger District recreation specialist, in the Facebook post. “Just the other day we found over 50, maybe even up to 100, dead turkeys. It’s revolting to clean up, plus, the carcass and gut piles are dangerous to the public.”
According to the post, dead animals left in the forest create a health hazard that can spread disease.
“They attract flies, which in turn creates maggots and disease,” Steve Rodriguez, a forest engineer, said in the Facebook post.
Rodriguez also said the smell of rotting animal carcasses and parts can attract pets who may spread disease to other pets and their owners.
Sam White, a Fillmore Ranger District recreation technician, said that the cleaning process takes up a lot of time.
“The time we spend cleaning this up is time and money taken away from improving roads, trails, or reducing wildfire threats,” White said in the Facebook post. “Our clean-up efforts have only made a dent into the actual amount that’s been dumped out there.”
The post said that it is likely only a few individuals are responsible for the illegal dumping.
Where to dispose of animal carcasses
People wanting to dispose of animal carcasses and parts can dump them at the Sevier County Landfill. The landfill has a flesh pit where they can properly be disposed of.
“We are not a dump,” White said. “We need people to police themselves and make sure we keep our forests beautiful.”
