LANDER – The Bureau of Land Management is investigating the suspicious deaths of several federally protected wild horses on public land south of U.S. Highway 287 in Wyoming’s Red Desert.

A BLM press release from Feb. 2 offers a reward of $1,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person or people involved in the deaths of the horses.

Three horses were found November 5-7, 2017, one on Green Mountain and two near the Three Forks/Atlantic City Road in the Pickett Lake area.

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Two additional horses were found in mid-January near the same road, south of Crooks Mountain.

Preliminary findings suggest all five horses were shot.

Protected by the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, it is illegal to harm, harass or kill wild horses.

The BLM is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for public land users and to protecting public land resources from illegal activity.

BLM law enforcement officers are working with the local brand inspector, Fremont County Sheriff’s Department and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact BLM Law Enforcement Officer Thomas Howell at 307-332-8469.