Colorado Parks and Wildlife lethally removes gray wolf to address chronic depredation in Pitkin County

Travis Duncan
Public Information Supervisor
720-595-8294 / [email protected]

Rachael Gonzales
Northwest Region Public Information Officer
970-773-8587 / [email protected]
Twitter: @CPW_NW

DENVER — On the evening of Thursday, May 29, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) lethally removed gray wolf 2405, a member of the Copper Creek Pack, in Pitkin County after determining livestock producers had experienced chronic wolf depredation despite implementing all reasonable non-lethal deterrence measures and removing any attractants capable of luring wolves. The action came after the agency confirmed four depredation events between May 17-25, including three by clear and convincing evidence. CPW will be monitoring the Copper Creek Pack to determine whether the lethal removal changes the pack’s behavior.  

“The decision to take lethal management action was very difficult,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “Our wildlife biologists and officers constructed a timeline of recent events that shows the depredation behavior met the conditions for chronic depredation that were defined earlier this year. We have great respect for these animals and take the removal of a wolf very seriously. Removal of problem animals is unfortunate and rare, but consistent with the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan.

“We remain committed to both wolf restoration and to Colorado’s livestock producers,” Davis said. “We have been focused on improving our communication and coordination with the agricultural community. The producers in this area have been working constructively with CPW on deployment of multiple non-lethal conflict mitigation efforts. The intent of this management action is to discourage other pack members from unnaturally shifting to livestock as their primary source of food. This action will help ensure that wolves and packs that are targeting natural prey serve as the foundation for a sustainable population. Most of the wolves in the state are sticking to natural food sources and avoiding livestock conflicts.”

After careful analysis, CPW determined that the depredation events aligned with CPW’s criteria for a case of chronic depredation as described in the CPW Wolf-Livestock Conflict Minimization Guide (pages 16-18). 

“Chronic depredation” is defined as three or more depredation events (confirmed based on a preponderance of evidence) caused by the same wolf, wolves or pack within a 30-day period, provided there is clear and convincing evidence for at least one of the depredation events.

CPW considers four factors when determining whether a situation qualifies for lethal removal of depredating wolves: 

• documented repeated depredation and harassment of a producer’s livestock or working dogs caused by the wolf, wolves, or pack targeted 
• use of a variety of non-lethal conflict minimization materials and techniques 
• likelihood that additional wolf-related depredation will continue if lethal control is or is not implemented 
• unintentional or intentional use of attractants that may be luring or baiting wolves to the location

Chronology of Depredation Events
A ‘depredation event’ is defined as a 24-hour period in which the Division determines by at least a preponderance of the evidence standard that a wolf or wolves caused physical trauma resulting in injury or death to a producer’s livestock or working dogs.

The timeline of depredation events that prompted this management action is below.

• May 17, 2025: Injury to one calf determined to be caused by a wolf. Collar data cross-reference indicates a gray wolf from the Copper Creek Pack was in the area. The depredation event was on private property. 
• May 23, 2025: One calf deceased. CPW found clear and convincing evidence the depredation was caused by a gray wolf. Collar data cross-reference indicates a gray wolf from the Copper Creek Pack was in the area. The depredation event was on private property. 
• May 24, 2025: One calf deceased and one calf injured. CPW found clear and convincing evidence the depredation was caused by a gray wolf. Collar data cross-reference indicates some wolves from the Copper Creek Pack were in the area. The depredation event was on private property. 
• May 25, 2025:  Injury to one cow and injury to one calf. CPW found clear and convincing evidence the depredation was caused by a gray wolf. Collar data cross-reference indicates some wolves from the Copper Creek Pack were in the area. The depredation event was on private property. 

CPW staff immediately began working to determine if the events met the definition of chronic depredation, as the criteria was finalized in January. The determination was made on May 25 and plans were put into place to secure permission from the landowner and safely remove the wolf as soon as possible.  

Management Actions Conducted to Deter/Reduce Conflicts 
Producers affected by these depredations have implemented a variety of non-lethal preventive measures to minimize the risk of depredations before and after the events occurred. Between December 2024 and January 2025, all impacted producers conducted a site assessment with CPW. During the calving season, they utilized tools such as turbo fladry, fox lights, noise makers, and increased human presence during both daytime and nighttime hours to reduce the potential of wolf-livestock conflict.

Before and during the timeline of depredation events above, the producers promptly removed carcasses (once the investigation was complete), buried the carcass pits, and cleared any old bones or potential attractants from the grazing area. Additionally, they relocated cattle, continued using scare devices, and increased human presence by employing CPW-contracted and privately hired range riders.

CPW’s Commitment to Wolf Restoration
“We are committed to the success of gray wolf restoration in Colorado while also minimizing impacts to livestock producers,” Davis said. “CPW’s management action is intended to change pack behavior by discouraging continued targeting of livestock as a prey base while also leaving the pack with the best chance of reproductive success in the future. Wolves in the pack are collared and CPW will continue to closely monitor the pack’s behavior to determine if behavior has changed.”

“Lethal removal of animals is not something that we take lightly,” said CPW’s Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell. “Removal of animals early in the restoration process is a balance between managing populations of wolves, while also assisting landowners in resolving ongoing conflicts with wolves. There are an estimated 23 collared wolves on the landscape in Colorado and this does not include uncollared wolves that we monitor and are reported in our minimum count in the Gray Wolf Annual Report. We continue to monitor four potential dens so it is likely we have an unknown number of new pups that were born this year. We are developing plans for the coming year’s translocation efforts, so the wolf population will continue to grow, leading towards a self-sustaining population. We will also continue to work to minimize livestock conflict to the greatest degree possible.” 

CPW will not be sharing the location of the remaining pack members or the operation. CPW will work closely with producers in this area to implement non-lethal conflict mitigation tools to reduce the potential for future conflict, including monitoring the location and behavior of the remaining Copper Creek packmates. CPW will post a final report on the website once the investigations are complete.

The livestock producers could be eligible for the fair market value of the livestock if claims are submitted. CPW provides reimbursement for damages caused by gray wolves to livestock defined in C.R.S. 33-2-105.8 and animals used for guard/herding purposes and provides conflict minimization materials to livestock producers in affected areas under its Gray Wolf Compensation and Conflict Minimization Program.

In 2023, after extensive collaboration and outreach among numerous partners in Colorado at local, state, federal, and Tribal levels, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) designated the Colorado wolf population as Experimental under Section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act. This rule making aims to provide management flexibility to support the state's voter-mandated gray wolf reintroduction program. Under this rule, the FWS and CPW as a designated agent (and in certain circumstances, livestock producers) may intentionally harass, implement non-lethal control measures, or lethally control problem wolves.

It’s important to remember that, unless authorized by the FWS and CPW, killing a wolf is illegal under federal and state law and punishable by up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.