Though the occupiers claimed to maintain, even to fix and improve the wildlife refuge, the pictures from the US Fish and Wildlife Service show piles of garbage, food, alcohol, tobacco, and smashed walls.
"These pictures are a microcosm of how bad it really was," Jason Holm, assistant regional director for the Fish and Wildlife Service told the Guardian.
Biologists at the refuge reported some of their personal items destroyed or missing upon returning to the refuge, but they are nonetheless glad to have the facility back under federal government control.
"They are thrilled to be back. These are people who generally don't become biologists to be in the public sphere. They love creatures and places and are passionate about doing their jobs," Holm said.
In addition to the government property destroyed, there has been significant damage to artifacts from the Burns-Paiute tribe. The estimates for the cost of the repairs to the facilities currently stands around $6 million, and this number will only continue to rise as damages continue to come to light.
In the pictures below, see the damage left behind by the armed ranchers.