Colorado Parks and Wildlife euthanizes wolf following livestock attacks

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) euthanized a female yearling from the One Ear wolf pack on Wednesday following continued livestock attacks in Grand and Jackson counties. This marks the second yearling from this specific pack to be killed in the past month and the third wolf killed by the agency this week, following the removal of yearlings from the Copper Creek and Three Creeks packs.

Since the reintroduction of gray wolves in December 2023, CPW has lethally removed six wolves due to livestock conflicts. Under a special 10(j) rule granted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the state has the authority to kill wolves despite their federally protected status. The agency’s policy is to target “chronically depredating” wolves—defined as those involved in three or more depredation events within 30 days—to discourage livestock predation and encourage hunting natural prey.

Following an initial euthanization of a One Ear Pack member on August 4, the pack has been linked to seven additional livestock attacks, even as producers and the agency implemented nonlethal deterrence methods such as increased camera monitoring.