By Rob Edward
The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project grieves the recent lethal removal of yearling wolf 2405 from Pitkin County, following a series of confirmed livestock depredations over Memorial Day weekend.
Under CPW’s chronic depredation policy, the agency will consider lethal removal only after repeated livestock losses — three or more depredation events within a 30-day period—and after deployment of all reasonable non-lethal conflict minimization techniques. In this case, the ranchers reportedly deployed a variety of preventive actions. CPW staff investigated multiple incidents involving a group of wolves, and given the specific incidents over multiple days, determined that the totality of the facts and number of distinct events met the threshold for chronic depredation. The agency’s decision to use incremental removal, beginning with a single wolf, rather than the entire pack, aligns with its stated goals: to target only those wolves responsible, minimize removals, and change pack behavior to prevent future conflict.
We recognize the heartbreak and frustration these events have caused local ranchers — and those who want to see wolves thrive. The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project expects that both landowners and CPW will redouble their efforts to prevent further conflict. This includes rigorous site assessments, promptly and proactively deploying all appropriate forms of hazing to alter wolf behavior, and, if the agency detects denning activity, providing supplemental feeding (if elk or deer are not localized nearby) to reduce the risk of additional livestock losses. We urge all parties to continue prioritizing non-lethal measures and rapid communication to ensure coexistence remains at the forefront of Colorado’s wolf restoration program.
Losing any wolf is deeply saddening, and we share in the sorrow felt by those who care for these animals and the wild places they inhabit. We take pride in the fact that Colorado’s wolf restoration program is working as intended — balancing ecological restoration with the needs of rural communities. We remain committed to supporting CPW, landowners, and all Coloradans as we continue the challenging, essential work of restoring wolves to the Rocky Mountains.
The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project is dedicated to the restoration of gray wolves to their historic range in the Rocky Mountain West. Through education, advocacy, and collaboration, the Project seeks to foster coexistence and restore vitality to ecosystems where wolves once thrived.
Rob Edward is a co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project.