Another female wolf released in Colorado in January has died, Parks and Wildlife officials announced Friday morning offering few details on a mortality alert received Oct. 30.
The wolf, wearing collar No. 2506, was one of 15 gray wolves from British Columbia that were released in Pitkin and Eagle counties. The animal died in southwestern Colorado, the agency said.
Because gray wolves are a listed endangered species in Colorado, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will investigate the circumstances of the death. The review will include a necropsy.
While every gray wolf mortality is investigated, state wildlife officials working on the reintroduction authorized by Colorado voters in 2020 have noted that natural attrition is expected among the reintroduced wolves and any pups they produce.
Six of the wolves from Canada have died this year, including a female killed by a mountain lion in Rocky Mountain National Park, a male hit by a vehicle in northwestern Colorado and a female that died in May when it was caught in a legal foothold trap set for coyotes. Four of the 10 released in Summit and Grand counties in 2023 have died.
The agency also killed one uncollared wolf this year under its own rules, and last year relocated others found to be predating excessively on local livestock. The state agency said in September it had killed a yearling wolf confirmed to have killed six sheep in Rio Blanco County. DNA samples identified it was the pup left behind in August 2024, when the agency trapped the Copper Creek pack blamed for killing sheep and cattle in Grand County.
The Trump administration could complicate further reintroductions of wolves to Colorado. Although the state already has an agreement to receive 10 to 15 wolves from British Columbia this winter, U.S. Fish and Wildlife director Brian Nesvik last month told CPW that any more wolves must come from Northern Rockies states, most of which have declined to participate in Colorado’s reintroduction program.
This story will be updated when more information is available.