PRESS RELEASE
RBC | On the morning of April 2, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) 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.”
The livestock producer will be eligible for fair market value compensation if a claim is submitted. CPW provides reimbursement for damages caused by gray wolves to livestock defined in C.R.S. 33-2-105.8 and animals used for guard/herding purposes and may provide conflict minimization materials under its Gray Wolf Compensation and Conflict Minimization Program.
Per Colorado Revised Statutes 24-72-204(3)(a)(XXI), CPW may not release private landowner information. The landowner has requested not to be contacted.
CPW staff will continue contacting producers in the area, and encouraging the use of appropriate non-lethal deterrents available through the agency
On the morning of April 7, CPW received a report of a possible depredation incident in Jackson County. A CPW wildlife officer responded and conducted a field investigation.
The field investigation found injuries on a dead calf consistent with wolf depredation, including a partially consumed hindquarter. Partial wolf tracks were also found in the same area. CPW is aware of four wolves in the area and these included wolves that were released in December 2023 and a wolf or wolves with known territory in North Park.
Additionally, CPW and the Colorado Department of Agriculture have been working together through a Memorandum of Understanding and have been building the capacity to anticipate and prepare for predator livestock incidents and are working towards deploying range riders in coming weeks and other tools to help ranchers with non-lethal deterrence: https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/News-Release-Details.aspx?NewsID=4081
CPW will not be providing any further specific location or specific animal information related to this incident. The CORA exception covering species locations (24-72-204(2)(a)(X)) allows CPW to withhold information that “reveals the specific location or could be used to determine the specific location of . . . an individual animal or group of animals.” Identifying the wolf or wolves potentially involved could allow someone to determine the specific location of those animals.
The livestock producer could be eligible for the fair market value of the livestock if a claim is submitted. CPW provides reimbursement for damages caused by gray wolves to livestock defined in C.R.S. 33-2-105.8 and animals used for guard/herding purposes and provides conflict minimization materials to livestock producers in affected areas under its Gray Wolf Compensation and Conflict Minimization Program.
CPW will continue to work closely with US Fish and Wildlife Service and the agricultural community to successfully implement the impact-based management framework laid out in Chapter 5 of the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan.
Resources to learn about Colorado’s wolves
Stay informed about gray wolf reintroduction in Colorado by visiting CPW’s website and subscribing to our Gray Wolf Reintroduction eNews and follow our social media channels.
Collared Gray Wolf Activity Map
Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Collared Gray Wolf Activity Map provides information on where wolves have been in the past 30 days or so. The map is updated with new information on a monthly basis, produced on the fourth Wednesday of every month, and reflects data for the prior month, give or take several days.
