Disappointing, and another in a string of humans destroying things of natural beauty. A few years ago, the Wanaka tree in New Zealand was severely damaged due to tourists climbing on it.
As an aside, I think it's quite interesting what various countries consider "ancient." A tree that's not even 200 years old wouldn't be considered especially old on the west coast of the US, but a building that's 100 years old would; in the UK, it's often the reverse. (I fully understand why this is the case, given the relative ages of the countries and their levels of deforestation, but it's a fun curiosity anyway.)
As an aside, I think it's quite interesting what various countries consider "ancient." A tree that's not even 200 years old wouldn't be considered especially old on the west coast of the US, but a building that's 100 years old would; in the UK, it's often the reverse. (I fully understand why this is the case, given the relative ages of the countries and their levels of deforestation, but it's a fun curiosity anyway.)