A female gray wolf in northwest Colorado kicked the bucket this week, making her the seventh reintroduced wolf in the state to meet her demise. Colorado Parks and Wildlife released a statement not mentioning the cause of death, but they promised to conduct a necropsy to determine it later on. The agency was made aware of the wolf’s passing when her collar pinged on Thursday. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is also getting in on the action since gray wolves are on the endangered species list.
The deceased wolf, known as 2512-BC, was part of a group of 15 wolves brought over from Canada to Colorado in January. This was the second batch of wolves reintroduced by the state, following the approval of the initiative by voters in 2020. Another 10 wolves from Oregon were set free in December 2023, making up the new wolf pack in the area. The recent death is the fourth among the Canadian wolves, with one being shot by federal agents in Wyoming for allegedly attacking livestock in March. Not a great track record for these wolves, huh?
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is not letting these setbacks deter them, though. They have big plans to release 10 to 15 wolves every year for the next three to five years until the gray wolf population in Colorado is stable and self-sustaining. However, not everyone is happy about this plan. Colorado ranchers are up in arms about the reintroduction, fearing for their livestock’s safety. In fact, they even tried to delay the program earlier this year but were shut down by CPW commissioners. Some of the wolves released in 2023 have already been shot, leading to a federal investigation. It’s a tough world out there for these wolves, that’s for sure.
Not really sure why this matters, but this story is still unfolding, so stay tuned for updates. If you want more Colorado news, you can sign up for the Mile High Roundup email newsletter. Who knows, maybe there will be more wolf drama in the next edition. It’s like a soap opera but with wolves.