Decades-old cacti hacked apart and shot at in Arizona forest as officials seek vandals

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FILE: Coast Guard airlift injured hikers from Olympic National Forest

Two injured hikers were airlifted to safety Sunday night after they fell into an avalanche chute while climbing Mount Ellinor in Washington's Olympic National Forest.

THE TAKEAWAY

• Native cacti were cut, damaged and reportedly shot at over the weekend.
• The vandalized plants had been carefully restored and were thriving in an area recovering from a wildfire.
• Officials are asking the public to share information that could help identify the vandals.

CHANDLER, Arizona – Cactus criminals are on the loose after a wildfire rehabilitation site in an Arizona national forest was vandalized, leaving dozens of native plants hacked and even shot as officials ask the public to help bring the perpetrators to justice.

Over the weekend, vandals hacked up 12 saguaros, six barrels, four hedgehog cacti and several prickly pear and cholla plants at Tonto National Forest, with some cacti also riddled with bullet and BB gun holes, according to Natural Restorations, an Arizona-based conservation nonprofit.

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Vandals damaged native cacti at the second staging area near Four Peaks in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest.

(Natural Restorations / FOX Weather)

The vandalism targeted mature saguaros, some estimated to be 30 to 60 years old. The youngest plants targeted were about 10 years old, Natural Restorations said.

Volunteers planted the impacted plants in both 2020 and 2024, and they have since become established in the vulnerable burn scar area.

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The replanting site was left littered with severed plant parts as conservation volunteers worked to salvage and rehabilitate the decades-old damaged plants.

Several cacti reportedly had bullet and BB gun holes.

(Natural Restorations / FOX Weather)

"A lot of work went into salvaging AND saving these saguaros from construction destruction, and it's heartbreaking to see someone hack them up," Natural Restorations wrote in a social media post.

"We would greatly appreciate anyone coming forward with information to help catch the individuals who did this."

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Volunteers planted and restored the saguaros in the area in 2020 and 2024.

(Natural Restorations / FOX Weather)

The vandalism occurred at the second staging area near Four Peaks in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest, the state’s largest national forest, spanning nearly three million acres of rugged desert and mountain terrain.

Natural Restorations and Tonto National Forest officials are asking anyone with information, photos or video of the vandalism at the Four Peaks staging area to call the Mesa Ranger Station Law Enforcement Office at 480-610-3300.

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Under federal regulations, those responsible could face up to six months behind bars and a $5,000 fine for damaging or removing native plants in the Tonto National Forest.