Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff on Thursday killed one of the wolves believed to be involved in livestock killings in Pitkin and Garfield counties over Memorial Day weekend.

The wolf is believed to be a member of the Copper Creek pack, one of five surviving wolves relocated to Pitkin County in January. The wolf was identified as #2405, and is believed to be one of the male offspring of the Copper Creek mating pair. 

CPW stated in a press release on Friday that the action followed the agency’s confirmation of four depredation events between May 17 and May 25, including three instances with clear and convincing evidence.

“CPW will be monitoring the Copper Creek Pack to determine whether the lethal removal changes the pack’s behavior,” the statement said.’

“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.”

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.

“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 Commissioner Murphy Robinson, in a statement to the Denver Gazette, said, “unfortunately, the wolf that was killing livestock had to be taken in this matter, however, I am confident that CPW and the ranchers affected by these depredations exhausted every tool in their tool belt to try and make this wolf successful in its environment. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to get the wolf to stop killing. I applaud CPW for their tireless work in making sure our state continues to have a successful implementation of the bill that was passed by the people of Colorado.”

Robinson added that “this is my statement alone as an individual Commissioner and a citizen of Colorado” and does not represent the commission.

According to a statement from the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association on Tuesday, a series of wolf attacks took place over Memorial Day weekend at the Lost Marbles Ranch, Crystal River Ranch and McCabe Ranch, leaving two calves dead and others injured.

Tom Harrington is the president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and is the manager of the Crystal River Ranch in Pitkin County. His livestock was among those attacked last weekend. He told the Denver Gazette a calf was killed and a second one was injured.

“We would have been better prepared if they had paused [the reintroductions], but CPW did follow the wolf plan” this time, he said. “I wish all of us — CPW, ranchers and ranger riders — had been better prepared, including all non-lethal deterrents. All of that is still not ready,” he said.

“We will continue to represent producers on the Western Slope who are dealing with this, we will continue to stand up for producers in dealing with this conflict and hope CPW improves as well” on nonlethal deterrents, compensation and range riders, he added.

The attack at Lost Marbles, according to the association, was carried out by three wolves from the Copper Creek pack and occurred in the heart of the calving grounds —a large meadow where ranchers actively monitor mothers and newborns during the critical calving season.

In that attack, the wolves separated a cow and a calf from the main herd, severely injuring the calf.

“It’s hard to describe the heartbreak of finding a calf torn apart in the middle of the field you’ve been tending day and night,” said Mike Cerveny, the rancher whose livestock were attacked at Lost Marbles. “We work around the clock to protect our livestock, only to be blindsided like this and not even told wolves were in the area until it was too late.” Cerveny also experienced confirmed wolf depredations in March.

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, in a statement Thursday, said they were disappointed to learn the Copper Creek pack is once again harassing and killing cattle. “The measures taken by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) have proven insufficient, and this pack now threatens both livestock and the livelihoods of our ranchers,” the statement said. “While we appreciate CPW’s earlier actions in North Park, it is now clear these were not isolated or opportunistic events. The Copper Creek pack meets the definition of a chronically depredating pack and should be formally designated as such. Without that designation and the authorization of lethal control, livestock losses will continue—at significant cost to ranchers and taxpayers alike.”

They urged CPW to manage the pack in accordance with the wolf management plan.

Podcaster Joe Rogan posted a picture of one of the calves killed by wolves on his Facebook page on Wednesday. Doug Bruchez of Bruchez & Sons in Grand County responded that wolves have wreaked havoc on his ranch. More than 80 livestock are now either dead or missing as a result of the wolf reintroduction, he said.