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Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Colorado Officials Euthanize ‘Chronic' Problem Wolf That Was Killing Livestock
The challenges associated with bringing gray wolves back to Colorado were illuminated yet again last week. On Thursday, state wildlife managers made what they called the 'very difficult' decision to kill a wolf that was preying on livestock on private land in Pitkin County, and which had previously been relocated from another county due to concerns around livestock depredations. The lethal removal took place the evening of May 29 on an unidentified cattle ranch. It was the first time that officials with Colorado Parks and Wildlife have killed a wolf since the voter-led reintroduction effort began in 2023. It was not, however, the first time that CPW has dealt with this particular wolf, which was identified in an agency news release as gray wolf 2405 and a member of the Copper Creek Pack. Read Next: The Wolf Pack Responsible for the Majority of Livestock Depredations in Colorado Will Be Relocated, Not Killed Officials explained that the young male wolf had met their definition of 'chronic depredation' after being linked to four such events in an eight-day period. They said those events occurred even with non-lethal deterrence measures in place. They pointed to 'clear and convincing evidence' that 2405 was responsible for three of the cows that were injured or killed on several different ranches in Pitkin County around Memorial Day weekend. 'The decision to take lethal management action was very difficult,' CPW director Jeff Davis said in a statement. 'Our wildlife biologists 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.'Davis went on to explain that the action was meant 'to discourage [the] other pack members' from preying on livestock. He said the agency would continue to monitor the behavior of those remaining pack mates 'to determine if behavior has changed,' but didn't specify what management actions might be taken based on that behavior in the future. It's also unclear based on CPW's timeline of events whether wolf 2405 was acting alone, or if other members of the pack were involved in the depredations as well. That timeline cites GPS collar data, which showed 'some wolves from the Copper Creek Pack were in the area' where the depredations took place on May 24 and 25. A CPW spokesperson did not give a specific answer when asked by OL whether this collar data might indicate that multiple wolves from the Copper Creek Pack were involved in the Pitkin County depredations in May. The spokesperson clarified that 2405 was 'a member of a pack determined to have met the definition of chronic depredation' and said CPW would post a full report with more information soon. '[This] is not something that we take lightly,' CPW wolf conservation program manager Eric Odell said in Friday's news release. '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.' CPW also noted in Friday's announcement that it is currently monitoring four potential dens across the state, and that more pups will likely be born this spring. That should bring Colorado closer to its eventual goal of a self-sustaining gray wolf population, while at the same time giving wildlife managers more GPS-collared wolves to keep track of. There are currently 23 collared wolves roaming the state, and their movements are updated monthly in a map maintained by CPW. In many ways, the Copper Creek Pack has embodied how complicated and contentious Colorado's wolf restoration process has been. The pack was formed by two of the 10 wolves that were initially brought over from Oregon and released in Grand and Summit Counties back in December 2023. The mating pair established a den in Grand County that winter and gave birth to five pups the following spring. Read Next: Coloradans Who Oppose Wolf Reintroduction Can't Agree on How to Try Ending It Conflicts soon followed. Between April and July 2024, as wolf advocates celebrated the pack's formation, CPW confirmed multiple livestock depredations by the pack's two adult wolves. Ranchers in Grand County pleaded with both the state and the federal government to lethally remove the wolves, but their requests were denied. Although CPW's policy director told commissioners at one point that the adult pair had caused 'the main issues in depredation' among all the wolves that were relocated there from Oregon, the agency ultimately decided that killing the two breeding wolves would be 'irresponsible' and could hamper its larger recovery goals. CPW chose instead to capture and relocate the Copper Creek Pack in September. The male wolf died soon after capture, and one of the pups eluded officials, while the remaining four pups and the female were trapped and held at an undisclosed facility for several months. The five Copper Creek wolves were then re-released this last winter along with the 15 additional gray wolves that were translocated from British Columbia to Eagle and Pitkin Counties in January. At the time of the Copper Creek Pack's capture last fall, CPW acknowledged that relocation was not how it planned to handle those types of conflicts going forward. Ranchers, meanwhile, expressed their concerns that by relocating the wolves, wildlife managers were simply moving the problem instead of solving it. Read Next: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Releases Second Batch of Wolves Amid Threats, Rumors, and Growing Controversy 'By refusing to manage problem wolves, CPW has allowed livestock depredations to continue unchecked, while fostering a pack of depredating wolves,' read an August 2024 letter from the Colorado Cattlemen's Association to CPW director Jeff Davis. 'Pups from these problem wolves will be trained to 'hunt' and survive off livestock.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
CPW lethally removes gray wolf in Pitkin County
PITKIN COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) — On Thursday, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) lethally removed gray wolf 2045 in the Copper Creek Pack for chronic depredation in Pitkin County. The decision came after CPW determined that livestock producers, despite implementing non-lethal deterrence measures and removing attractants that lured in wolves, had experienced chronic wolf depredation. The agency confirmed four depredation events between May 17 and May 25 and will continue to monitor the Copper Creek Pack for behavioral changes. CPW documented the following timeline of events between May 17 and May 25 for the Copper Creek Pack wolf: Friday, May 23: CPW found evidence that a gray wolf killed a calf on private property. Saturday, May 17: Wolf-caused injury found on a calf on private property. Saturday, May 24: CPW found evidence that a gray wolf killed one calf and injured another on private property. Sunday, May 25: CPW found evidence that a gray wolf injured a cow and a calf on private property. For all events, CPW used collar data cross-reference to indicate that a gray wolf or wolves from the Copper Creek Pack were in the area at the time. On May 25, CPW determined that the events met the definition of chronic depredation before plans were implemented to gain landowner permission and safely remove the wolf. '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.' Chronic depredation is the frequent and consistent injuring or death of a producer's livestock or working dogs caused by the same wolf or wolf pack within 30 days. CPW determines four factors to determine the lethal removal of wolves that display signs of chronic depredation. These factors include documentation of chronic depredation, previous use of non-lethal removal techniques, the likelihood that the depredation will continue without lethal removal and if any attractants have been used to lure wolves to the location. '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.' CPW has shared in a press release that it will not share the location of the remaining pack members or the operation; however, the agency will monitor the location and behavior of the remaining Copper Creek Pack wolves in addition to working with local livestock producers on non-lethal conflict tools to reduce potential future conflict in the area. CPW will post a final report on its website once the investigations of the Copper Creek Pack are complete. More information about the Colorado Gray Wolf Restoration and Management Plan or Proposition 114 can be found on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Colorado Parks and Wildlife kills grey wolf in Pitkin County after attacks on livestock
DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife killed a gray wolf in Pitkin County following recent attacks on livestock, according to a press release on Friday. CPW said that the wolf was identified as wolf 2405, a member of the Copper Creek Pack. The decision came after reports of chronic depredation, even after livestock producers had utilized all reasonable non-lethal methods to deter the wolves from their animals. Orangutan escapes exhibit after a 'malfunction' at Denver Zoo Between May 17-25, four depredation incidents occurred, which included three by clear and convincing evidence, according to CPW. The agency will monitor the Copper Creek Pack to see whether the lethal removal affects the behavior of the remaining pack members. '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.' Although the removal occurred, CPW said it is still determined to find a balance between supporting the wolves and the livestock producers symbiotically. '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.' Not the first preferred choice when dealing with the wolves, CPW said that the events from the May incidents matched the criteria for chronic depredation in the CPW Wolf-Livestock Conflict Minimization Guide. Chronic depredation is defined as three or more depredation events within a 30-day period. The incidents occurred during times, including: May 17 Injury to one calf May 23 One calf deceased May 24 One calf deceased, one calf injured May 25 One cow injured, one calf injured 18 abandoned rabbits found by dumpster in Golden CPW staff immediately began to investigate whether the incidents met the definition of chronic depredation and came to a conclusion on May 25. Plans were then made with a landowner to remove the wolf as soon as possible. Livestock producers can receive the fair market value of the animal lost in the depredation events if a claim is submitted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
4 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Colorado Parks and Wildlife makes "very difficult" decision to kill grey wolf in Pitkin County
Officials with Colorado Parks and Wildlife say they have killed a grey wolf in Pitkin County. The agency says the animal was part of the Copper Creek Pack and that the pack was repeatedly attacking livestock in the area between May 17 and May 25. CPW says it attempted deterrents and other non lethal hazing measures before lethally removing the animal Thursday. The hope is that the "lethal removal" leads to a change in what the pack views as its primary food source. CPW Director Jeff Davis called the decision "very difficult." "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," he said in a prepared statement. Davis said most of the wolves that have been reintroduced in Colorado "are sticking to natural food sources and avoiding livestock conflicts."
CBS News
09-03-2025
- General
- CBS News
Colorado Parks and Wildlife to pay ranchers over $300,000 for wolf depredation, losses
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission has agreed to pay over $300,000 to two Grand County ranches for wolf-related losses. On March 5, the commission met to discuss the claims made by Farrell Livestock, LLC and Bruchez and Sons, LLC. The commission awarded Farrell Livestock $287,407.63, a portion of the $422,784 requested by the ranch for 2024. They said they're working with the ranch to resolve the remaining amount, which involves missing cattle. The claim amount approved by the commission includes compensation for 15 cows killed by a wolf as well as missing sheep. It also includes compensation for calf weight loss and reduced pregnancy rates. Farrell Livestock's data over the last three years showed a loss of 36.5 lbs per calf and a 2.9% reduction in pregnancy rates. Another $56,008.74 was awarded to Bruchez and Sons. "These are large claims. I want to remind you all, and our public, that we are the only western state that does itemized claims, to my knowledge," said Director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife Jeff Davis. "That's not just paying for the lost animals. That's compensating for the impact of wolf presence and the interaction that affects weight gain and pregnancy loss." Commission Chair Dallas May said he's grateful for the "multipliers" put in place by previous staff. "Let's face it, once there is a predation, you may not find the animal," said May. "I can tell that one (wolf) event on a ranch affects the entire ranch. It is a net drain on your program if you can't use your entire ranch." According to CPW, there have been 32 confirmed incidents of Gray Wolf depredation in Colorado since 2021. In cases of depredation confirmed by CPW, livestock owners can be reimbursed for the fair market value of the animal up to $15,000. The CPW also offers reimbursement for veterinarian costs for injured livestock and herding animals. Davis said they are bringing on CSU to help standardize livestock and depredation data. They plan to have a more standardized process by the next damage claim season.
