On the morning of April 2, Colorado Parks and Wildlife received a report of a possible depredation incident after a landowner in Grand County contacted officers to report a dead calf. CPW wildlife officers quickly responded, conducted a field investigation, and confirmed a wolf-livestock depredation had occurred.
“The results of this investigation indicated wounds consistent with wolf depredation,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Jeromy Huntington. “The field investigation found multiple tooth rake marks on the calf’s hindquarters and neck and hemorrhaging under the hide, consistent with wolf depredation. Wolf tracks were also found nearby.”
According to KMGH-TV, Travis Duncan with CPW confirmed that the wolf or wolves involved in the depredation were part of the 10 animals released during introductions this December.
The news station also notes that the producer found a calf killed on Tuesday, but it had not been eaten. Grand County Commissioner Merrit Linke indicated this was likely because the mother cow “raised hell.”
If a claim is submitted, the livestock producer will be eligible for fair market value compensation. CPW provides reimbursement for damages caused by gray wolves to livestock as outlined in the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan and for animals used for guard/herding purposes and may provide conflict minimization materials under its Gray Wolf Compensation and Conflict Minimization Program.
Producers began voicing their concerns over the choice of wolves for release in December when it was confirmed that the first five wolves released into Colorado were from a depredating pack in Oregon. However, this is the first reported attack on livestock in Colorado since 10 gray wolves were released from Oregon into the state.
“The incident, which resulted in the loss of livestock, underscores the ongoing challenges faced by ranchers in managing conflicts between livestock and wildlife,” the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association said in a statement Wednesday. “Wolf presence presents significant challenges for ranchers striving to maintain the health and well-being of their livestock.”
However, it’s not Colorado’s first wolf conflict in recent years. In December 2021, officials confirmed the first wolf kill on livestock in over 70 years. In January 2022, one dog was killed and another injured by wolves in Jackson County. That same month, two cows were also attacked by wolves. In December 2023, another rancher reported finding a calf with wounds on her hindquarters and neck.
The first five wolves were released in Grand County on Dec. 18, 2023, as part of Colorado’s voter-mandated reintroduction effort. A few days later, five were released in Grand and Summit Counties. The state also announced that another 15 wolves from tribal lands in northeast Washington will be released next spring to aid in creating a self-sustaining population of 150 to 200 animals.
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