The death of a male gray wolf, one of those released in Colorado last winter, shows the ongoing challenges in reintroducing wolves to the area.
The male wolf, believed to be the father of the Copper Creek Pack with four pups, was captured by Colorado Parks and Wildlife CPW after livestock deaths in Middle Park. Experts think he was involved in the attacks. Unfortunately, the wolf died shortly after being captured, possibly due to an injury from another carnivore. His weight had dropped by 30%, and he had a leg injury.
It doesn’t seem like the injury came from a hoofed animal, but we haven’t confirmed the exact cause, said Eric Odell, CPW’s Wolf Conservation Program Manager.
Despite this setback, CPW sees some success in the wolf reintroduction program. “There are still nine other wolves thriving in the wild, said CPW director Jeff Davis.
Initially, the plan was to keep the male wolf in captivity. The pups, now in a refuge, will stay there until they’re ready to return to the wild.
However, some ranchers, like Tim Ritschard, president of the Middle Park Stock Growers Association, are concerned about the pups being released. He believes they may have been involved in livestock attacks and is pushing to keep them from being released. CPW disagrees, saying there’s no evidence the pups were involved.
Balancing the reintroduction of wolves, which voters approved in 2020, with the concerns of ranchers has been tough. CPW plans to introduce more wolves over the next five years, but ranchers feel more time is needed.
We’re not ready for more wolves yet. We’ve been asking for a pause, said Ritschard.
On the other hand, wolf reintroduction supporters think the program is moving in the right direction. Wolves have a tough life. They get killed by prey, guard dogs, and even humans, said Rob Edward, President of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project.
As the program continues, both CPW and ranchers are learning. There’s compensation for livestock losses and a range rider program to monitor wolves, but some ranchers feel more support is needed.
Still, CPW must meet its goal. If we don’t continue, we risk losing the progress we’ve made, said Davis. Currently, the released wolves aren’t grouping together, except for the Copper Creek pack. But as more wolves are introduced, it will be easier to manage them as packs form.
Wolves typically form packs of 12 to several dozen, and CPW hopes to establish a stable population in Colorado over the next few years by bringing in more wolves from other parts of North America. Edward emphasized the need for cooperation with ranchers to prevent conflicts between wolves and livestock.