GRAND COUNTY, Colo.— The Center for Biological Diversity, conservation partners and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are offering rewards totaling more than $65,000 for information leading to arrests and convictions in the 2024 shooting death of a wolf in Colorado. The reward follows the Service’s announcement today that a necropsy confirmed a gunshot wound killed the father of the Copper Creek pack, who died after he was captured in early September.

“It’s horrible to hear that a selfish poacher caused the death of the historic Copper Creek pack’s father,” said Alli Henderson, southern Rockies director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It’s common knowledge that wolves in Colorado are protected under the Endangered Species Act and that this wolf could not be lawfully shot. Gunning down this irreplaceable wolf was illegal and morally wrong.”

The Center is offering a $15,000 reward, adding to a standing $50,000 reward from other conservation organizations, as well as an undetermined amount offered by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The wolf that died, 2309-OR, was the father of 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.

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 non-lethal coexistence measures are not properly used.

Anyone with information regarding the death of this wolf is urged to contact the Service’s wildlife crime hotline: (844) FWS-TIPS (397-8477), [email protected] or https://www.fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips.