Park rangers at Saguaro National Park are trying to figure out why someone would want to destroy the cacti.
Eight saguaros were hacked apart sometime around October 3 near the west district's Scenic Drive. The damaged cacti were between one and ten feet tall, and park rangers believe that the tallest saguaro was around 100 years old.
“All plants, animals, and resources in the national park are protected,” Superintendent Leah McGinnis said in a statement. “Damage to saguaro cacti is especially disheartening because they are the reason for the park’s establishment”.
Saguaros are protected under Arizona's native plant law, and destroying the iconic cacti can land a person in jail for up to six months and an up to $5,000 fine, Park spokesperson Andy Fisher told News 4 Tuscon.
"Being in the national park everything is protected, so there is a federal law that they are violating for vandalism," Fisher said. "Saguaro's also have another level of protection. It's a state crime."
The Park is asking anyone with information about what happened to the protected plants to contact them at ISB Tip Line 888-653-0009 or nps_isb@nps.gov.
It's been a rough year for saguaros, which are known for their ability to survive in the desert. This year's exceptionally hot and dry summer led to multiple cacti to wither and fall over.
Photo: Saguaro National Park / National Park Service