DWR officers seek information about stolen wildlife water guzzler equipment in Washington County

The Utah Department of Wildlife Resources is investigating the theft of wildlife water guzzler equipment in Washington County, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of DWR, St. George News

ST. GEORGE —Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officers are seeking information after some equipment from a wildlife water guzzler was stolen in Washington County sometime last month.

According to a press release issued by the DWR, officers began investigating the theft in March. The apron — the large portion of the structure that collects rainwater during storm events — was removed and stolen from a water guzzler near Utah Hill in Washington County, the release states.

Guzzler aprons are made from a variety of different materials, but are typically metal. They funnel the collected rainwater or snow into a holding tank, and it is then released into a drinking area where it’s accessible to wildlife.

Guzzler water structures are extremely important to countless Utah wildlife species because they provide critical water sources for these animals throughout the year, and particularly, during the hot and dry summer months, DWR Sgt. Brandon White said in the release.

“Without the presence of an apron, water cannot be collected and stored, rendering a guzzler nearly useless. When crimes like this are committed, it has direct and potentially life-threatening effects for wildlife in the area,” he said.

The DWR, land management agencies and other wildlife conservation groups contribute the labor and funding needed to install guzzlers around the state. For more information about wildlife water guzzlers, visit the DWR website. 

Anyone with information regarding the stolen guzzler part, or any other wildlife-related crimes in Utah, is encouraged to report it to DWR conservation officers in one of the following ways:

If you have information about this specific case, you can also contact DWR Sgt. Brandon White at 435-616-9453. Rewards are available, and requests for confidentiality are respected.

Every year, Utah conservation officers conduct numerous investigations into the illegal killing of wildlife. In 2020, the release adds, officers confirmed over 1,000 illegally killed animals valued over $379,000.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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