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In January and February, armed anti-federalists took over a wildlife refuge in Oregon for 41 days.


They said they were protesting in support of two Oregon ranchers sentenced to prison for arson. During the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, one man was 

; since the militants surrendered, 25 people have been charged with crimes related to the occupation, 

, FBI investigators examined the scene before handing it back to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has now released photos of the scene that awaited them when they returned to the federal property. You can view the full album 

The images show personal property and trash strewn across the refuge building, liquor bottles tucked into a disarranged sofa and a large dent in a refuge wall.

PHOTOS: The Mess Left At Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

The unkempt appearance of the property was presaged by a conversation two of the occupiers had with a supporter on the final day of the occupation.

Gavin Seim — an activist who live-streamed his conversations with the militants during the final days of the occupation — at one point prompted them to describe how well they had cared for the property. The answer, from husband and wife Sean and Sandy Anderson, wasn't quite what he was expecting:

. (Note: Elsewhere this video contains expletives).



One occupier has also been accused of stealing cameras and other equipment from the refuge, 

, and the Paiute tribe has denounced the occupiers for 

. (The Andersons told Seim that the occupiers did not damage any artifacts.)


This week, reporters were allowed back onto the refuge for the first time since the end of the occupation.


John Sepulvado of NPR member station Oregon Public Broadcasting was there. He 

: "The refuge, which was blanketed in snow during the 41-day occupation, shows signs of spring's arrival: birds twitter and chirp and cattle graze in the distance. On the surface, life seems to be moving on. However, there are numerous costs in returning the refuge back to normal."


The cost of the occupation as a whole, Sepulvado says, includes a price tag of $5.7 million and counting, an enormous backlog of unfinished work on environmental projects, and psychological toll on workers and the community.

"Despite everything, there seems to be considerable progress being made at restoring the refuge to its pre-occupation condition," Sepulvado reported. "A spokesperson for the Fish and Wildlife Service expects it to be fully open within the next four weeks."


OPB covered the full story of the occupation in an hourlong audio documentary, 

Crime, Law and Justice

In January and February, armed anti-federalists occupied a wildlife refuge in Oregon for 41 days. They left behind detritus and damage, as shown in photos from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The mess occupiers left at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

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