Introduced wolf found dead in CO

WLJ May. 02, 2025 1 minute read 26 comments

Introduced wolf found dead in CO — Gray wolf walking across rocks in a flowing river.
Evelyn D. Harrison

A third wolf captured from British Columbia and released into Colorado has died. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officials, a mortality alert for female gray wolf 2514-BC was received on April 20 in the Rocky Mountain National Park.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating the cause of death and a final determination will not be released until the investigation in complete.

“Mortality is a factor that plays a role in all natural populations,” CPW said. “The average lifespan of a gray wolf in the Rocky Mountains is generally 3-4 years.”

Two other wolves captured from Canada have died in recent months; male wolf 2513 was found dead in Wyoming in early April, and male wolf 2505 was shot in Wyoming by federal official after depredating on sheep.

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26 Comments

Barbara Chapin
May 5, 2025
They need to all die or taken back to Canada
Reply to Barbara Chapin
1. Tanya
  May 6, 2025
  That is a very sadistic nasty thing to say about any animal. You need serious help. You are the reason some of us don't support cattle producers!
  Reply to Tanya
2. William
  May 7, 2025
  The lack of understanding regarding wolf biology is stunning The wolves that needed to be reintroduced into Colorado (because Wyoming kept killing them) is the same wolf from Mexico to the northern arctic. The SAME wolf. These aren’t foreign Canadian wolves they are gray wolves. Cows are non native though!
  Reply to William
Margaret
May 6, 2025
Mankind is the cause of this imbalance in wildlife. Cattlemen love to hate predators as they get to use grazing on public lands cheap. Although they are reimbursed the market value of any loss they still want to kill or allow hunters to kill for them. This is so out of hand it stinks to see what they have been allowed to do to wolves, pumas, etc. in order to make $$$.
Reply to Margaret
1. Eric Martinez
  May 6, 2025
  And what is your problem with ranchers trying to feed the world…….oh I get it you want to live on bugs and lab grown meat
  Reply to Eric Martinez
  1. Ward and Carole Larsen
    May 8, 2025
    You are right!! The progeny that that cow and any of her progeny have and on down that cow produces is what that cow is worth!!!!
    Reply to Ward and Carole Larsen
2. Ed Hedquist
  May 6, 2025
  Darwin says survival of the fittest. We are top of the chain. We deserve to kill what we want
  Reply to Ed Hedquist
3. Brian McCart
  May 6, 2025
  You’re an idiot
  Reply to Brian McCart
4. Sandi
  May 6, 2025
  I agree 110% I come from a farming family and you deal with what comes in what ever lively hood you choose No man has the right to make an animal on Gods earth extinct. You do have the right to Protect your ranches from animals Killing, but not the right to go out hunting and killing because they are there!
  Reply to Sandi
5. David
  May 6, 2025
  Margaret, do you yourself own livestock or are you speaking from an unprofessional opinion?. The western slope knows and sees the damage these introduced predators cause! The western slope did not vote to pass the legislation for wolve introduction! It was the eastern slope that passed the legislation! I'm sure you would appreciate them in your "back yard"! We do not. So next time you go vote for this ridiculous legislation think of just more than yourself! And think of those it could and does effect!
  Reply to David
6. Petie
  May 6, 2025
  Obviously you live in a city and have no idea what ranchers do for your food supply. I live where grey wolves are and I’m afraid to leave my large dogs out in my yard at night to go potty even though I’m fenced and there are also cougars here but wolves kill just to kill.
  Reply to Petie
7. Commenter
  May 7, 2025
  You, unlike many pro-Wolfers are at least not naive enough to think that wolves are safe in Colorado. This is the reality, and not the fantasy world of pro-Wolfers. We need to either figure out a way to keep wolves safe in Colorado, or ship them to where they would actually be very welcome-in Canada, where the out of control wild hog population threatens to destroy their Ag Industry.
  Reply to Commenter
8. Jordan Mills
  May 7, 2025
  What you are failing to realize is they are only reimbursed for the one animal. If they were to lose a breeding heifer thats years of effects that sometimes cannot just be replaced. Lineage is everything in the cattle world.
  Reply to Jordan Mills
9. Dave. Holliday
  May 7, 2025
  Do you even know what the value of 1 heafer is?And I’ll bet you like to eat
  Reply to Dave. Holliday
10. Melissa winkler winkler
  May 7, 2025
  I agree
  Reply to Melissa winkler winkler
11. Gerilee Doyal
  May 7, 2025
  I agree
  Reply to Gerilee Doyal
James W.
May 6, 2025
Good…
Reply to James W.
Pat
May 6, 2025
Stop letting USA steal our wolves. According their president, "They don't need anything from Canada."
Reply to Pat
Cindy Lange
May 6, 2025
Most idiotic move ever. Done with ignorance and a lack of judgment
Reply to Cindy Lange
Larry
May 6, 2025
I personally hope that everyone of them die or get lead poisoning
Reply to Larry
Gwen Tartaglia1
May 7, 2025
We don't need wolves in Colorado. The population between now & 80 years ago, when the last wolves were hunted out of the State, has more than tripled. I live directly where you released the newest pack, in the Vail Valley, esp. the Sweetwater Drainage, Eagle County, Flattops Wilderness, Rio Blanco County, etc because I worked for an Outfitter, & the ecosystem has moved on without them. The lifespan of a totally wild wolf is around 12 years, so why would 4 years be acceptable for the wolves you're releasing?? I have many friends that are 3rd & 4th generation ranchers, you have no idea how much of their lives are spent safeguarding their livestock: it's their life, not a statistic, but they are treated like dirt because they will shoot anything, be it mountain lion, bear, or coyotes, to keep them safe? It's a lose=lose deal.
Reply to Gwen Tartaglia1
Gwen Tartaglia1
May 7, 2025
We don't need wolves in Colorado. The population between now & 80 years ago, when the last wolves were hunted out of the State, has more than tripled. I live directly where you released the newest pack, in the Vail Valley, esp. the Sweetwater Drainage, Eagle County, Flattops Wilderness, Rio Blanco County, etc because I worked for an Outfitter, & the ecosystem has moved on without them. The lifespan of a totally wild wolf is around 12 years, so why would 4 years be acceptable for the wolves you're releasing?? I have many friends that are 3rd & 4th generation ranchers, you have no idea how much of their lives are spent safeguarding their livestock: it's their life, not a statistic, but they are treated like dirt because they will shoot anything, be it mountain lion, bear, or coyotes, to keep them safe? It's a lose=lose deal.
Reply to Gwen Tartaglia1
Randy Hughes
May 7, 2025
As the wolves run out of wildlife to kill they turn to ranchers' livestock. In August 2009 near Dillon Montana wolves went on a killing spree and killed 120 sheep in one night. Nationwide wolves are costing ranchers $60,000,000 annually, 60 million dollars annually. For every verified "wolf kill" of livestock, there are another 6 to 7 head destroyed by wolves that are never reported or found because wolves hid the evidence by total consumption or burying the animal to consume later. These are expensive losses to deal with by the livestock industry, ranchers that spend money locally.
Reply to Randy Hughes
Michael Chesteen
May 8, 2025
The mountain lion is bad enough with the wolf's, the mountain lion kill by it self,the wolf's runs in pack so the r so bad, I don't think wolf's shouldn't b around rancher,cattle, horse ,r sheep
Reply to Michael Chesteen
Beaver clever
May 9, 2025
The wolf populating needs to be culled out there was no good reason to reintroduce them in a civilized area and where they are trying to protect game animals
Reply to Beaver clever
Mike Cunningham
May 10, 2025
Wolves, Coyotes and Pumas make fantastic targets to use to keep your eyes sharp!
Reply to Mike Cunningham