Colorado Parks and Wildlife Welcomes First Endemic Gray Wolves Since 1940s

Good news arrived from Colorado as Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) made an announcement that two wolves, Jane F1084 and John M2101, had been seen with many pups.

The Gray Wolves and Their Young

The gray wolves and their young were first spotted by a wildlife biologist and CPW district wildlife manager. The happy news follows the decision to reintroduce gray wolves to the state last year.
To get further confirmation, CPW staff carried out three different observations to know what was going on at the den from a safe distance.

This gave a confirmation of the presence of the collared wolves John and Jane, along with their three pups. The actual pack size remains to be seen, however, as it's likely there may be more that have not yet been discovered. Gray wolf litters usually comprise about four to six pups, so there's hope for some bumper floof.

Governor Jared Polis said in a statement: "Colorado is now an abode to our first wolf litter since the 1940, we welcome this historic den and the new wolf family of wolf to Colorado. With voter passage last year of the initiative to require re-introduction of the wolf by the end of 2023, these pups will have multiple potential mates when they become adults and capable of starting their own families."

Spotting Pups

When it comes to spotting pups, the staff at CPW are experts, and in spite of watching the litter from a considerable distance have witnessed so many movements among Jack, Jill, and their pups in the brief observation windows.

As the pups grow older, they will start to wander further from the den which will be a timely benefit for the onsite biologists, who alongside staff of CPW will work with closeby landowners to make effort in reducing the likeliness of human-wolf conflict.

Consequences of Harassing Wildlife

Area wildlife manager for CPW, Kris Middledorf, said in a statement It's incredible that the two grown-up animals have journeyed the distance and prevail over the challenges they have to get here, and to now have pups in Colorado.

He added: It's our priority to make sure that they have the opportunity to thrive, so even as we have good news, we want everyone to keep in mind that these animals remain endangered in Colorado."

The status is supported by law in the western state, where killing an endangered species can lead to the removal of hunting privileges, a fine of about $100,000, and even imprisonment. It's also illegal to harass wildlife in the state - but with acute hearing and very good eyesight, leaving these animals difficult to catch should be easy enough if you don't go in search of them.

For more news, updates about wolves and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!