Editor’s note: This story has been updated to accurately reflect Ginny Harrington’s relation to the Crystal River Ranch.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has killed a gray wolf that was connected to four livestock attacks in eight days in Pitkin County. 

The wolf, 2405, was one of the male pups (now a year old) from the Copper Creek pack. 

In a news release on Friday, Parks and Wildlife said it lethally removed the wolf on Thursday, May 29, after recent events met its definition of “chronic depredation.” The agency confirmed four depredation events in the Roaring Fork and Crystal River valleys between May 17 and May 25, including three that had significant evidence. The incidents occurred despite the affected producers attempting to deter and minimize conflict. 

Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis said in the news release that the decision was “very difficult” but done with the intent 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,” Davis said in the statement. “Most of the wolves in the state are sticking to natural food sources and avoiding livestock conflicts.”

Following the removal of this wolf, Parks and Wildlife reported it will continue to monitor the surviving Copper Creek Pack members — all of which have GPS collars — to determine whether the removal of one changes the pack’s behavior.

“I hesitate to comment on it other than it’s sad because it was set up for failure to bring that pack back when they had issues,” said Ginny Harrington, who helps at the Crystal River Ranch and is a member of the Holy Cross Cattlemen’s Association.. “It’s not something we celebrate.”

At least one of the recent incidents took place on Harrington’s ranch, which she runs with her husband. Harrington said she hopes Parks and Wildlife becomes more proactive to “keep wolves from getting in trouble around livestock.”

“There needs to be more aggressive hazing beforehand if wolves are liking an area in close proximity to livestock,” she said. 

The attacks in Pitkin County came almost five months after the Copper Creek Pack was released back into the wild. 

The pack’s adult female and four pups were held in a wildlife sanctuary for several months after being removed from Grand County last fall. The pack was connected to the deaths of at least 15 cattle and sheep in the region. The pack’s adult male died in captivity — days after its capture due to a gunshot wound — and was reportedly the wolf responsible for the depredations. 

While the agency’s wolf management plan recommended against this course of action, the agency repeatedly said it was a unique situation that required a unique response. 

In the time since the pack’s capture and release, Parks and Wildlife created guidance around what qualifies as “chronic depredation” and what would trigger lethal management. This definition applied to a wolf or wolves connected to three or more confirmed events — requiring “clear and convincing” evidence — within a 30-day period.

From there, many elements will be considered by the agency before it takes lethal action, including whether nonlethal conflict minimization techniques were used.  

For the recent events in Pitkin County, Parks and Wildlife confirmed the following: 

• Saturday, May 17, 2025: Injury to one calf determined to be caused by a wolf. Collar data indicated that a wolf from the Copper Creek Pack was in the area. 
• Friday, May 23, 2025: One calf killed. Parks and Wildlife found “clear and convincing evidence” — one of the requirements in the chronic depredation definition — that the depredation was caused by a wolf. Collar data showed that a wolf from the Copper Creek Pack was in the area. 
• Saturday, May 24, 2025: One calf killed and another injured. Parks and Wildlife found “clear and convincing evidence” that a wolf was responsible. Collar data placed “some wolves from the Copper Creek Pack” in the area. 
• Sunday, May 25, 2025:  Injury to one cow and injury to one calf. Parks and Wildlife found “clear and convincing evidence” that a wolf was responsible. Collar data placed “some wolves from the Copper Creek Pack” in the area. 

The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association reported that the incidents took place at the McCabe Ranch at Old Snowmass, Crystal River Ranch and Lost Marbles Ranch.  

In its release, Parks and Wildlife confirmed that different actions were taken by the agency and producers before and during the attacks to reduce conflict. The agency reported that all of the producers affected by the livestock attacks have completed recent site assessments with the agency and deployed multiple nonlethal conflict mitigation measures, including deterrents like flags, fox lights, noise makers and increased human presence during calving season. 

“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,” the agency added. “Additionally, they relocated cattle, continued using scare devices, and increased human presence by employing CPW-contracted and privately hired range riders.”

In light of recent events, Harrington urges Colorado not to introduce more wolves to the state.

“Pause with more introductions because we’re learning as we go,” she said. “I think it would be good to slow it down.”

Aspen Times Editor Ray Erku contributed to this story.