Park officials denounce concerning behavior in popular natural area: 'Leave the artistry to Mother Nature'

A concerning trend has seen wildlife damaged at a Texas state park. The Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in Texas Hill Country is populated with native prickly pear cacti that are wonderful homes to critters and sources of food for larger wildlife.

Park visitors have been carving designs into the cacti, damaging them and even killing some. What seems an innocent trend is gaining traction throughout the park.

These cacti sometimes grow heart-shaped, which visitors enjoy seeing. However, they never grow with smiley faces, despite these shapes popping up numerous times across the park. 

"We all love a heart-shaped cactus, but come on folks. It's not nearly as cool when you carve them into our native prickly pears!" said park officials in a post on Facebook, as reported by Chron. "Leave the artistry to Mother Nature, please, and keep your carving knives sheathed inside the park."

Officials warned that it's not just uncool to carve the cacti, but it also could lead to undue stress and potential death to the plant. Further, prickly pear cacti are also the state plant of Texas, meaning even more protections should be afforded.

Texas Park and Wildlife rules state to "keep wildlife wild" and "not feed or harass wildlife." However, this incident is not the first time visitors have disregarded these rules. In 2018, spots at the summit of the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area were vandalized, while two visitors were arrested in 2016 for tagging the rock with graffiti.

National parks and state parks alike continue to advocate for visitors to let the wildlife be. Whether it's a majestic animal, a naturally remarkable but dangerous area, or a beautiful plant, they must remain devoid of human intervention. National park laws are there for a reason.

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