Colorado Parks and Wildlife to capture, relocate wolf pack after multiple depredations
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced on Tuesday that a wolf pack in Colorado will be captured and relocated following multiple depredations since the animal's reintroduction to the state in December.
The decision to remove the Copper Creek pack comes as many of the state's ranchers have expressed concerns to state lawmakers and wildlife experts about the reintroduced species threatening and killing their livestock.
CPW’s log of wolf depredation incidents shows 24 animals involved in depredation incidents since the wolves' reintroduction in December, with those incidents spanning from April to July.
CPW said they remain committed to successfully restoring the gray wolf population while meeting the needs of Colorado residents.
“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,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. ”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.”
As part of its Wolf Restoration and Management Plan, CPW said they are continuing to work with state wildlife biologists, federal partners, and producers to develop solutions that will reduce the risk of additional wolf depredations.
For the safety of these animals and staff, CPW will not be sharing the location of the pack members and will provide more details once the operation is completed.
