Muskox kills state trooper shooing herd away from dog kennel, Alaska officials say

An Alaska state trooper of 13 years was killed in a muskox attack while trying to scram a herd away from his dog kennel at his home, officials said.

On Dec. 13 near Nome, Alaska State Troopers Court Services Officer Curtis Worland was targeted by a single muskox after a group was getting too close to his dog kennel, according to a news release by the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

“Curtis proudly wore the Court Services Officer uniform and honorably served the people of Alaska for 13 years,” Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell said in the release.

Worland was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.

Worland and his wife had a sled dog team at their property just outside the city limits, according to The Nome Nugget.

“The animals have a track record of goring, attacking and killing dogs in Nome, including a dog that lived in the Worland’s dog yard, in December 2020,” according to The Nome Nugget.

Muskoxen are “stocky, long-haired animal(s) with a slight shoulder hump and a very short tail,” according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Males are about 5 feet tall and weigh anywhere from 600 to 800 pounds. Females are about 4 feet tall, weighing about 400 to 500 pounds.

Muskoxen typically attack dogs as they remind them of wolves, their natural predators, according to the National Park Service’s website.

The National Park Services urges the public to keep their dogs on a leash, to run if a muskoxen starts charging and to pay attention to their body language. If they feel threatened they are likely to get aggressive and agitated.

The Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska Wildlife Troopers and Alaska Department of Fish and Game are investigating the incident.

This story was originally published December 14, 2022 at 11:40 AM with the headline "Muskox kills state trooper shooing herd away from dog kennel, Alaska officials say."