Setting the Record Straight on the Copper Creek Wolves
Originally published in the Aspen Daily News by Suzanne Asha Stone and Delia Malone.
The reintroduction of wolves to Colorado’s wildlands is steeped in a hopeful vision of restoration. It is a clarion call for us to open our hearts and embrace wildlife as fellow travelers on this vibrant planet. This transformative vision demands a significant cultural shift, rejecting the archaic and shallow belief that “the only good wolf is a dead wolf.” Instead, we are invited to adopt a posture of compassionate conservation, acknowledging each life as a unique treasure, worthy of our protection and respect.
It is both heartbreaking and infuriating to witness the Copper Creek wolves unjustly branded as ruthless livestock killers by the beef industry in Colorado. The reality is that neither the mother (female 2312) nor the father (male 2309) had any confirmed history of preying on livestock before they were reintroduced to Colorado, where they were drawn to an open, unmanaged livestock carcass dump. With pups too young to move when the dump was finally buried, their only immediate means of survival was the young spring calves brought into their denning area. As parents with young pups, these wolves only responded instinctively to the circumstances humans provided; they didn’t seek conflict. The responsibility belongs squarely on the humans here, and we ignored the basics: Promptly clean up your carrion if you don’t want to attract wolves to your ranch.
As a result of the unmanaged carcass pit, a father wolf was illegally and mortally wounded, a young pup was left behind and is presumed dead, and a yearling was shot for killing a calf. Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s new “Chronic Depredation” definition is “three or more depredation events caused by the same wolf or wolves within a 30-day period, provided there is clear and convincing evidence that at least one of the depredation events was caused by wolves.” Requiring only one event to provide evidence that wolves are responsible for depredation is an absurdly low standard for killing wolves. Any event that only occurs once can hardly be considered “chronic.” This is essentially a “zero tolerance” policy.
Scientific research indicates that occasional livestock predation does not lock a wolf into that behavior. How livestock and wildlife managers respond to each situation influences the outcome. There were serious errors made in the collective response of those involved. But instead of learning from these mistakes, local beef producers demand that the rest of the pack, including the new pups, be “removed” — meaning “killed.” They have accepted no blame for ignoring the fundamental concepts of coexisting with wolves.
The sky isn’t falling for livestock producers. There are over three million cattle in Colorado today. Of those, wolves have killed nine cattle this year or .000003%. And ranchers are compensated for those losses for a minimum of five times the fair market value.
This isn’t a good look for ranchers across the state in a new West that values conservation and wildlife. The cattle industry was responsible for wiping out wolves in Colorado during the last century. Here, they could choose to right this wrong of eradicating native species so essential to a fully functioning ecosystem. Instead, they are doubling down, ignoring their responsibility in these conflicts and blaming only the wolves. To that, we say, “Cowboy up, fellas.” If you are the rugged individuals who genuinely love the land, you must also love the native carnivores who shaped it. Here’s the opportunity to show us all your mettle by learning how to share the land as stewards, not as bullies.
In our shared quest for restoring and preserving our native Colorado landscape, let’s master the nonlethal coexistence methods and live side by side with wolves, cougars, bears and coyotes in a way that honors their place in the ecosystem. These mindful strategies are more practical and align with most Coloradans’ values. The violent and deadly form of eradication is of the past and has ripped apart the delicate fabric of biodiversity throughout the West. It’s time to leave that ugly history behind. Let’s learn what wolves can teach us about restoring resilient ecosystems that protect all native species while allowing ranching to thrive.
Finally, we suggest that CPW change the pack’s name to reflect the location of their new home: the Capitol Peak pack, to give them the fresh start they deserve.
Suzanne Asha Stone is Executive Director and Founder of the International Wildlife Coexistence Network and Founder of the ongoing Wood River Wolf Project. On the front lines of wolf restoration in the Western United States since 1988, Suzanne has worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Nez Perce Tribe’s Central Idaho interagency wolf recovery steering committee, and Defenders of Wildlife. She is also a current member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Canid Specialist Group. Suzanne is an international leader in livestock and wolf coexistence strategies.
Delia Malone is an Ecologist for the Colorado Natural Heritage Program at Colorado State University, where she conducts biological surveys for rare plants and animals across western Colorado. Delia is also the President of ColoradoWild, Wildlife Chair for the Roaring Fork Group Colorado Chapter of the Sierra Club, Vice Chair for the Roaring Fork Audubon, and adjunct faculty at Colorado Mountain College in the Sustainability Program. Delia has been at the forefront of wolf restoration in Colorado since the 1990s where she continues to educate others on the importance of wolves on the landscape, and advocates for nonlethal management strategies.
Nicole Roberts is the Associate Editor for PAN Works and provided editorial support for this essay.
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