Colorado Wolves: Summer 2024 Updates
Depredation continues, wolf’s cause of death announced, and three Colorado pups confirmed based on new video - here are summer updates about Colorado’s reintroduced wolves!
1. Depredation Continues
There have been 15 confirmed depredation incidents since Colorado’s wolves were reintroduced in December 2023. The reported and confirmed incidents have all occurred in Grand, Jackson, and Routt Counties (see map below).
Photo Credit: Uncover Colorado, Colorado Encyclopedia (1 & 2)
If you are using accessibility software, find image descriptions of the following graphs here.
Image Credit: Made by Hailey Robe using Excel and Canva; data from CPW
Two claims have been submitted for depredation events that occurred in April 2024; one claim is still under review, while the other resulted in a $1,514.00 payment. At the time this blog was posted, claims have not been filed for later incidents.
2. Relocating Copper Creek Pack
Just a few days ago, CPW announced that they plan to relocate the Copper Creek pack due to ongoing depredation.
This was the statement released by Jeff Davis, CPW Director:
“The decision to capture and relocate the Copper Creek pack was made with the careful consideration of multiple factors and feedback from many different stakeholders. Our options in this unique case were very limited, and this action is by no means a precedent for how CPW will resolve wolf-livestock conflict moving forward. The ultimate goal of the operation is to relocate the pack to another location while we assess our best options for them to continue to contribute to the successful restoration of wolves in Colorado.”
Understandably, CPW will not be releasing the locations of pack members or relocation options for safety reasons; their media release concludes with the statement, “CPW will provide more information and details at the conclusion of the operation.”
While Davis mentions that CPW considered “multiple factors and feedback from many different stakeholders,” it is unclear who or what exactly influenced this decision - I would be interested to learn more about that when CPW can safely release more information, and I’ll make another post at that time.
Photo Credit: Dan Dzurisin, Flickr
3. Deceased Wolf Cause of Death Announced
When a reintroduced wolf’s GPS collar stopped transmitting signals earlier this year, the wolf was found deceased in northern Colorado. CPW stated that the wolf was likely killed by natural causes, with no suggestions of human involvement. This was confirmed in the ensuing investigation, when biologists determined that the wolf was most likely attacked and killed by a mountain lion, based on the puncture wounds in the wolf’s recovered skull.
While unfortunate that any of the reintroduced wolves have died, this incident does not suggest any further threats to the other reintroduced wolves.
4. New Pups Confirmed; Video Released
When I last posted in July, CPW had just confirmed that one of the reintroduced wolves was denning with a new litter of cubs. While only one cub sighting had been confirmed, CPW knew that there were likely more cubs in the litter, since wolves usually give birth to 4-6 pups per litter. With the confirmation of Colorado’s first litter, the Copper Creek Pack was officially formed and named.
Then, on August 17, Colorado resident Mike Usalavage posted a video online showing three wolf pups playing in a puddle, with their mother watching in the background. CPW confirmed that these pups are the Copper Creek Pack litter! CPW biologists wrote about the video:
“You can see the wolf pups deeply focused on playing with each other. Playing not only allows a wolf pup to practice hunting behaviors but also teaches them to communicate effectively with other wolves, which is a skill they will use throughout their lives as social creatures living in packs.”
Photo Credit: Video by Mike Usalavage via CPW & Colorado Sun
Anyone who sees a wolf in Colorado should fill out a Wolf Sighting Form to help CPW biologists monitor wolves!
