FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Officials from Colorado’s wildlife agency have captured the first wolf pack established from released wolves in the state, following several incidents involving livestock attacks this year, which have led to diverse responses from advocacy groups and ranchers.

On Monday, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported that they trapped two adult wolves and four pups that form the Copper Creek pack. Sadly, the adult male died due to injuries not associated with the trapping process, according to the wildlife agency.

The agency had announced plans to remove the pack in late August, and in their announcement, they confirmed that the breeding female along with the four pups were captured safely using foothold traps, with no injuries incurred. No additional pups were discovered.

All six members of the pack were moved to a safe location for assessment and monitoring, as per the news release.

The decision to remove the pack from Grand County, located just west of Denver, came after the adult wolves were identified as primarily responsible for 16 confirmed attacks on cattle and sheep within the area between April 2 and July 28.

In December 2023, Colorado had successfully captured 10 wolves in Oregon, which were then released in Grand and Summit counties.

Future Plans for the Copper Creek Pack’s Mother and Pups

According to Colorado regulations, wildlife cannot be captured from the wild and kept in commercial wildlife parks, noncommercial wildlife parks, or wildlife sanctuaries. Reid DeWalt, the deputy director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, explained that the wolves can be temporarily housed at a facility under state authority since their stay is not permanent.

Agency Director Jeff Davis revealed that the four pups will be kept at an undisclosed facility until they are closer to adulthood, to improve their chances of survival. The pups were born in April, making it critical for them to stay together.

It remains uncertain whether the agency intends to release the pups alongside the next group of wolves anticipated for late winter this year or early winter 2025, as some have suggested.

Davis mentioned that there is currently “no evidence” indicating the four pups were involved in the livestock attacks in Grand County, emphasizing their youth as a reason. He stated they will eventually be returned to the wild to support the state’s wolf restoration efforts.

Furthermore, the agency is undecided about the fate of the pack’s mother—whether she will be released again in Colorado or held in permanent captivity. If released, she will be monitored closely.

Davis noted that had the male not died, he would have been placed in permanent captivity.

The press release acknowledged that Colorado’s wolf recovery plan specifies that wolves with histories of depredation will not be relocated into the wild. “However, the plan allows for some flexibility,” Davis stated, implying it may not cover every unique situation the agency faces.

Prior to any possible releases, the agency plans to discuss with local officials and landowners in the intended areas.

Wolf Pack ‘Deserved More Engagement for Non-Lethal Conflict Reduction’

Rob Edward, president and co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, expressed sadness over the alpha male’s death but commended Colorado Parks and Wildlife for their meticulous handling of this complex situation. The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project led Colorado’s wolf reintroduction efforts.

“The agency should reflect on the lessons learned from this experience, as they conducted a challenging operation with commendable professionalism,” Edward told the Coloradoan. “The Copper Creek pack deserved more proactive engagement in non-lethal conflict reduction strategies than they received, as revealed by CPW’s refusal to grant a lethal take permit.”

Other advocacy groups have urged for the wolves to be returned to the wild and for greater collaboration to prevent future removals of wolf packs.

“To see Colorado’s first reintroduced wolf pack removed from the environment is a significant setback for the wolf restoration effort that Colorado voters approved,” commented Chris Smith, wildlife program director at WildEarth Guardians, in a statement. “Although CPW staff tried to manage the situation, it appears not everyone was committed to coexistence. The death of any wolf is a heartbreaking loss.”

Delaney Rudy, the Colorado director for the Western Watersheds Project, criticized ranchers for the pack’s removal.

“The remaining members of the Copper Creek family should be swiftly returned to the wild in areas where wildlife coexistence is prioritized from the beginning and range riders are actively working,” Rudy stated in a news release. “It’s unjust for these social animals to have their family disrupted due to inefficient coexistence practices.”

Ranchers Oppose the Return of Any Pack Members, Insisting the Removal Was Necessary Despite Non-Lethal Efforts

Tim Ritschard, a rancher from Grand County and president of the Middle Park Stockgrowers Association, stated that local ranchers are in agreement that the removal of the pack was the appropriate decision. He noted that livestock losses persisted even with various non-lethal deterrents employed by ranchers.

However, Ritschard pointed out that ranchers are against the idea of returning the female or the pups to the wild.

Due to their connection with livestock losses, there are plans to release certain wolves again. Ranchers have compiled evidence indicating that all members of the Copper Creek pack participated in these losses, despite the state wildlife agency asserting that the pups were too young to be involved.

One rancher stated, “A local veterinarian who assisted Colorado Parks and Wildlife in performing autopsies on sheep killed in Grand County confirmed that the pups were indeed involved.” He mentioned that she found bite marks on some sheep which were too large for a coyote’s bite and too small for that of an adult wolf.

Don Gittleson, a rancher from Jackson County, suggested that the removal of the entire pack might have been avoided if wildlife officials had removed the adult male earlier, as he was identified as the primary livestock predator.

Gittleson expressed concern that placing the pups and their female into captivity—where they would be fed by humans, which has been confirmed by the state wildlife agency—would worsen the situation. “This pack has already become too familiar with humans. Now you’re going to have them fed by people?” he remarked to the Coloradoan. “By releasing them again, you risk even bigger problems, especially since those pups haven’t been taught how to hunt yet. It would be a much bigger error than failing to eliminate the adult male from the start.”