Colorado wolf probably died after fight with another wolf

According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the death of an adult male wolf in September was likely the result of a fight with another wolf.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife received a death signal from the wolf’s collar on September 9 in Grand County. The death of the adult male wolf – one of the wolves introduced from Oregon in December – was confirmed the next day. After the incident, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began an investigation to determine the cause of death.

This was not the male wolf of the Copper Creek pack, which died after being captured in early September.

On Friday, Nov. 8, a federal agency spokesman said the wolf died of “injuries consistent with a fight likely involving another wolf.”

While the full autopsy report won’t be available until next week, the autopsy showed the wolf had suffered trauma “typical of wounds inflicted by wolves and other canids and supports preliminary analysis of hair samples collected from the scene.” the involvement of another wolf continues.”

The agency also noted that the wolf had suffered a gunshot wound to its hind leg, but it was an old and healed wound.

In addition, it was determined that the wolf was in a “good nutritional condition” at the time of its death, the spokesman said.

This wolf was found dead four days after Colorado Parks and Wildlife completed the trapping of six wolves in the Copper Creek pack in the same county. Three weeks later, a fifth wolf pup was discovered to be in the area and evaded further capture attempts by the state agency in late September and early October.

The adult male, bound to the Copper Creek pack, died in captivity on September 3, four days after his capture on August 30. When captured, the male was severely malnourished and had suffered an injury – and deep stab wounds – to his hind leg. At the time, Eric Odell, manager of Parks and Wildlife’s wolf conservation program, told media that it was “likely another attack by carnivorous animals” and was unlikely to be a human-caused injury.

While the Fish and Wildlife Service is also conducting the autopsy on this wolf, the agency does not have any further information about the death or a timeline for completing the investigation.

The first of three deaths among wolves reintroduced to Colorado occurred in mid-April after a mountain lion attack.