COUNTY TO LAUNCH PROBE ON DEAD BISON? NO POSTMORTEM TESTS DONE ON PARK'S BULL.

Byline: Amy Raisin Darvish Staff Writer

NEWHALL - County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich will ask for an internal investigation into the mysterious death of a bison at Hart Park, including the actions of county agencies after the animal was discovered.

Antonovich was ``incensed'' Thursday, according to one of his deputies, over the suspicious death of the 1 1/2-year-old male bison, one of 11 that roam a vast enclosed area at William S. Hart Park. The bull was found dead Tuesday morning in a pen that is inaccessible to animals without human intervention.

Antonovich, who represents the Santa Clarita Valley, filed a motion Thursday to urge the Board of Supervisors to order the investigation when it meets Tuesday.

``The supervisor wants to ascertain the details surrounding the death of the bull, both before and after,'' said Tony Bell, communications deputy for Antonovich. ``He wants to know what the actions were among the (county) departments because there are some inconsistencies.''

Bell said the investigation will center on how the animal died - shoe prints were discovered near the animal, which had been partially eaten by coyotes and other nocturnal animals, park officials said - and why a postmortem examination was not ordered before the bison was disposed of.

Tina Raleigh, acting supervisor of the park, said county Department of Parks and Recreation officials decided against a postmortem examination, citing the expense and the length of time between the animal's death and its discovery.

Antonovich's motion calls for the County Auditor's Office to investigate, with the help of the Sheriff's Department, the actions of the county departments of Parks and Recreation and Animal Care and Control and the Office of Public Safety in the hours after the bison was found.

The park's animal keeper said he found the bull - the park's only male, acquired months earlier to strengthen the herd's bloodline - about 5 a.m. A company that specializes in disposing of large, deceased animals removed the carcass by noon, police said.

Capt. Ed Entwisle of the county Police Department said the absence of postmortem test results will make it very difficult to determine what happened to the bull.

``There was no autopsy and that's their choice,'' Entwisle said of the officials who made the decision. ``But without that, the truth may never be known.''

Antonovich's motion asks that the findings for the investigation be presented to the board one week from Tuesday, Bell said.

``He wants to find out if there is cause to move forward with a criminal investigation,'' Bell said. ``He has been on the phone all day trying'' to find out what happened here.

Amy Raisin Darvish, [phone]

amy.raisin(at)dailynews.com