Three men face potential federal felony charges in connection with the armed vandalism that damaged the Nye County habitat that is the only home to the endangered Devil’s Hole pupfish.
Authorities said three men jumped the fence protecting the cavern where the federally protected fish live. Beer cans were strewn about, electronic monitors were hit by gunfire, and one of the intruders skinny dipped in the hot springs. This damaged feeding and breeding areas and left at least one fish dead.
Surveillance video of an off-road vehicle used by the vandals brought in tips that late last week led a joint federal-Nye County investigation to the suspects, all of whom live in Southern Nevada.
Devil’s Hole, about 90 miles west of Las Vegas, is part of Death Valley National Park and home to pupfish conservation efforts led by the National Wildlife Service.
Abby Wines, National Park Service; Ileene Anderson, senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity