From The Center for Biological Diversity
The Center for Biological Diversity, conservation partners and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are offering rewards amounting to over $100,000 for information leading to arrests and convictions in the 2024 shooting death of a gray wolf in Colorado.
The Service announced Thursday that a necropsy confirmed that a gunshot wound killed the father of the Copper Creek pack, who died a few days after he was captured at the end of August. The wolf was in poor condition when he was captured, and the necropsy revealed that was caused by a gunshot wound, which led to his death.
The reward amount offered by conservation groups soared over the weekend.
“Every Coloradan should be outraged that a selfish poacher gunned down one of our state’s first reintroduced gray wolves, the father of the historic Copper Creek pack,” said Alli Henderson, southern Rockies director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Shooting this irreplaceable wolf wasn’t just morally wrong — it was also illegal. It’s time for the killer to face justice.”
The Center is offering a $15,000 reward, adding to a standing $50,000 reward from conservation organizations, as well as an undetermined amount offered by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Colorado Wild, Defenders of Wildlife, WildEarth Guardians, Western Watersheds Project and Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center each added an additional $5,000 to the reward amount since Thursday. Another $10,000 has been pledged by individuals. Of the pledged $100,000, $85,000 would be rewarded upon state or federal officials charging an individual or individuals with a crime, while the remainder would be rewarded upon conviction.
“We are absolutely disgusted to learn that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s necropsy of the Copper Creek Pack breeding male has determined that he was killed by illegal shooting,” said Michael Saul, Defenders of Wildlife Rockies and Plains program director. “This loathsome news underscores the need for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to stay the course and not let the bad-faith efforts of anti-wolf extremists distract from carrying out its balanced and thoughtful restoration plan, while this cash reward exemplifies the number of groups committed to working with all Coloradans to ensure a successful wolf reintroduction program.”
The wolf who died, 2309-OR, fathered five pups this spring. The father, mother and four of the pups were captured in late August and early September by Colorado Parks and Wildlife after conflicts with livestock. The father died shortly after he was captured.
“Wolf 2309 (Shadow) was a hero,” said Delia Malone with Colorado Wild. “Against all odds he and his mate, 2312, created a family. We are committed to preserving his legacy. The majority of Coloradans know that the fate of our relative, the wolf, is our fate. Going forward, protecting wolves to ensure that once again their voices bless our vast public wildlands, 2309’s courage and commitment to family will be our guide.”
By wounding the father of the Copper Creek pack, the poacher likely contributed to the wolf-livestock conflicts. Wolf packs that are not strong and healthy enough to bring down wild ungulates, like elk and deer, are often forced to turn to vulnerable livestock. This is especially the case if livestock are not closely watched with guard dogs or range riders, or if other appropriate nonlethal coexistence measures are not properly used.
“Someone out there knows who has been shooting at wolves. Regardless of your sympathies, poaching is unethical, immoral and illegal. Informants can work with law enforcement to maintain anonymity, and to make things right,” said Courtney Vail, board chair of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project. “Not only have the perpetrators wasted taxpayer funds meant for ranchers to adapt to wolves, they also inflamed the conflict, fueling online threats that perpetuate the culture war. This ugliness represents the worst of us and distracts from the success stories of livestock producers on the ground in Colorado who have prepared for wolves, implemented nonlethal conflict reduction tools, and experienced no livestock losses this past season.”
“Wolves belong in Colorado, and our outdoors is healthier with them here,” said Lindsay Larris, conservation director at WildEarth Guardians. “It should be concerning to all Coloradans that an individual can cruelly maim a living creature — an endangered species nonetheless — with impunity. We encourage anyone with information about the illegal shooting of this Copper Creek wolf to contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and receive your well-earned monetary award.”
“The shot taken at wolf 2309 caused conflict and tragedy, and we hope that this reward will bring the perpetrator to justice,” said Delaney Rudy, Colorado director with Western Watersheds Project. “Poaching is not tolerated in Colorado, and killing this wolf was a criminal action under the Endangered Species Act. We are confident that a wildlife hero will bring forward information that leads to justice.”
“As long as there are humans who want to rule, conquer, believe they are entitled, do not respect predators, and refuse to coexist, there will always be a war on wolves,” said Darlene Kobobel, president and founder of the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. “We who believe that wolves belong and are part of the landscape that makes it whole need to forever be a voice. Never Let The Howl Go Silent!”
Anyone with information regarding the death of this wolf is urged to contact the Service’s wildlife crime hotline: (844) FWS-TIPS (397-8477), FWS_TIPS@fws.gov or https://www.fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips.
