A $1,000 reward was issued by the Bureau of Land Management to assist in the search for a couple caught carving into an ancient cultural site near Wire Pass Trail and Buckskin Gulch near the Utah-Arizona border.
As reported by Unofficial Networks, the bureau quickly moved to action after receiving photo evidence of a petroglyph defacement on November 23.
Per KSL.com, officials confirmed the culprit was arrested in St. George on November 30 and booked on a federal warrant.
Bureau archaeologists estimate the petroglyphs to be 3,000 to 5,000 years old, dating back to the pre-agricultural Archaic period. Estimates put the damage around $7,000.
What's sad is that this isn't a singular instance. Vandalism is all too common during the "age of information," when we should all know better by now. A TikToker came across recent defacement in Navajo Tribal Park. A couple faces federal charges after damaging and stealing from a protected site in Canyonlands National Park.
Historical sites, national parks, and nature in general should be treated with respect so they can be enjoyed by generations to come. Knowing the rules and expectations before you go can help keep you safe from harm and possible legal ramifications. It's important to remember a lot of these rules are made for the safety of local wildlife as well. Oftentimes, they face the ultimate consequence of human actions for only doing what comes natural to them.
Harry Barber, district manager of the bureau's Paria River district, was quoted by KSL.com as saying, "I appreciate that our public likes to get out and use public lands. It's bothersome when people take things into their own hands and feel like they can do things that are not lawful."
David Hercher, public affairs specialist of the Bureau of Land Management, told KSL.com, "Vandalism destroys these irreplaceable pieces of history and cultural heritage valuable to Indigenous tribes, historians and local communities alike. (It) is not only a crime punishable by law but also a destructive behavior with lasting consequences that can never really be made 100% whole again."
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