Colorado wolf pack captured and relocated to ‘safe enclosure’ after conflict with ranchers

A pack of wolves from Grand County has been relocated to an enclosure at an undisclosed location in Colorado after a multi-week trapping operation in an effort to ease conflicts with ranchers, Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed in a press release on monday.

The capture and relocation process began on Aug. 22, when CPW first went out to track six wolves in Grand County. Officials captured adult female 2312-OR on Aug. 24, then adult male 2309-OR on Aug. 30 before he died on Sept. 3. The four pups — three males and one female — were captured between Sept. 3 and 5 and were considered “underweight and otherwise healthy.” The wolves were transported by truck to the secure location, said Travis Duncan, CPW public information supervisor Outdoor living.

The adult male that started the pack with the female was found in “poor condition” and died after sustaining injuries to his right hind leg. Those injuries were not related to the capture, CPW reports.

“The wolf’s body weight was nearly 30 percent lower than when he was released in December,” the statement said. “CPW personnel administered antibiotics in an attempt to address any infections from his injury. Four days after transport, CPW wolf biologists received a mortality signal from 2309-OR’s collar and confirmed that the animal was deceased. CPW personnel believe it is unlikely the wolf would have survived long in the wild. A full necropsy will be performed.”

The male and female were two of 10 Oregon wolves released in Grand and Summit counties in the first phase of the gray wolf reintroduction in Colorado. Now, the five wolves from the Copper Creek pack have been moved to a “large, secure enclosure with limited human interaction,” CPW said. The location of that enclosure was not disclosed out of concern for the wolves’ safety. It is unclear how large the enclosure is or whether it is on public or private land. CPW did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The management decision follows multiple attacks on livestock in Grand County and the resulting outrage from the ranching community. CPW first announced its plans to relocate the wolf pack late last month, after officials had already begun trapping.

Translocating wolves known to have a history of predation is not part of the Colorado Wolf Recovery and Management Plan. However, since the female and pups were still in their den at the time of the raids, CPW says the adult male was likely solely responsible for the loss of livestock. The pups have yet to grow their adult teeth and are still largely dependent on their mother for food.

“We will take the lessons learned here and apply them as we continue to build a strong program with our federal and state partners, and both the wolf restoration and ranching communities,” CPW Director Jeff Davis said in the release. “The more we are able to listen to each other, understand each other, and increase cooperation, the better off we will all be in the long run. Our focus now, in this case, is on a healthy release of the remaining members of the Copper Creek pack.”

CPW has not promised to release this pack back into the state.

“There is currently no timeline for release,” Duncan tells OL. “CPW will continue to assess the health of the female and pups and plan for their re-release as they mature and are able to hunt on their own or together in a pack. This approach gives CPW the opportunity to release them back into the wild together so they can contribute to the recovery of Colorado’s wolf population.”

If CPW decides to release the adult female, she will be “closely monitored,” it said. an agency’s FAQ page“CPW will conduct discussions with elected officials and ranchers in potential release areas prior to any release occurring.”

Read more: The Truth About Wolf Hunting in North America

Officials are reportedly in talks to acquire new wolves, but are refusing to release details. The search follows a misstep in negotiations with the Coville Tribe in Eastern Washington, which withdrew an offer to provide 15 wolves after learning that Colorado had “failed to consult” with the Southern Ute Tribe about wolf reintroduction.

“CPW is considering several potential resource partners that will meet the goals outlined in the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan,” the FAQ page reads. “CPW has not previously commented on such government negotiations and will not do so now … publicizing sensitive discussions could impact our ability to reach an agreement.”