Another of the wolves released into Colorado last year has died — the third death among the 10 wolves released as part of the state’s historic and controversial reintroduction program.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife received a mortality signal from the male wolf’s collar on Monday and on Tuesday wildlife officials confirmed that the wolf had died, the agency announced in a news release Thursday. The wolf was identified as 2307-OR and was found dead in Grand County.
“While this is sad news, these types of restoration efforts consider anticipated mortalities in our planning and a degree of wolf mortality, just like for any wildlife, is expected both during restoration efforts and on an ongoing basis,” CPW Director Jeff Davis said in the release.
The agency declined to share more information about what may have caused the wolf’s death.
“As stated in our announcement this is an active investigation and no additional information will be shared at this time,” CPW spokesman Travis Duncan said in an email.
The death is the third among the 10 wolves reintroduced into the state in December. One wolf was found dead this spring, presumably killed after a fight with a mountain lion. Another — the patriarch of the first pack established by reintroduced wolves — died Sept. 3 after being captured by CPW following livestock killings. CPW said the wolf died of injuries it sustained prior to capture and that a third party will conduct a necropsy.
The state’s known wolf population now stands at 13: seven survivors among the reintroduced adults, plus the four pups from the Copper Creek pack and two adult wolves remaining from a pack established earlier by wolves that migrated from Wyoming. One of the reintroduced wolves and her four pups remain in captivity following their capture, though CPW plans to release them later this year.
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