Grand Canyon Wolf Shot Dead; Echo Famously Traveled From Wyoming

A gray wolf named Echo that famously traveled from Wyoming to the Grand Canyon was shot and killed by a hunter who said he mistook the wolf for a coyote.

DNA tests confirmed the wolf shot on Dec. 28 was Echo, who gained widespread attention for her journey, National Geographic reported.

An investigation is underway.

“It’s very sad news,” Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity told National Geographic. “We and a lot of other people were rooting for her. Echo’s death illustrates the peril wolves face even under the protection of the Endangered Species Act.”

Wolves hadn’t been seen in Utah since the 1940s and are protected there under the Endangered Species Act. Their numbers have rebounded since reintroductions, and they have been delisted as endangered in Montana and Idaho.

Schoolchildren around the world entered a contest to name Echo after she was spotted in October near the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. She was first captured and radio-collared a year ago near Cody, Wyoming, and traveled 750 miles to find a mate.

Twitter users were saddened by the news.

This absolutely breaks my heart. Read and pass it on. Hopeful story of gray wolf named Echo comes to a tragic end https://t.co/c2yWNFWVz4

— Lindsey Rasnake (@L_Rizzle) February 13, 2015

Adventurous gray wolf that roamed to the Grand Canyon killed. Breaks my heart. Too much tough news today. http://t.co/Sfabdf4BYB

— Jerry Kong (@jerrykong80) February 13, 2015

Blurgh. This is why we can't have nice things, hunters. http://t.co/RY1jw6oNl1

— Rusty Prater (@BrontosauRUSS) February 13, 2015

The killing of Grand Canyon wolf makes case for ending coyote bounties and keeping wolves with ESA protection. #stopthewaronwolves

— Sandy Bahr (@SLBahr) February 11, 2015

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