Three pups, the first that may have been born in the wild in Colorado in 80 years and are members of the only wolf pack in Colorado, were discovered dead in Wyoming.
The three female wolves, suspected to be members of Colorado's sole known wolf pack, were discovered dead approximately 10 miles into the borders of Wyoming.
North Park Pups
The North Park pack is the sole wolf pack that has been identified as existing in Colorado.
Jackson County, which is in the northern part of the state and is adjacent to the Wyoming border, is the roaming grounds of the wolf pack.
The wolves frequently cross the border into Wyoming, where it is permitted to hunt the animal at any time without a hunting license.
Wolves, however, are considered a protected species in Colorado, making it unlawful to hunt them.
The maximum fine for hunting wolves in Colorado is $100,000.
The three dead wolves correspond to pups born into Colorado's North Park pack in the spring of 2021 in terms of age and color.
Since the 1940s, no wild wolf pups have been born in Colorado.
Righting a Historical Wrong
Chris Smith a Southwest Wildlife Advocate from WildEarth Guardians, said that In the past, wolves could be found in large numbers throughout the Western US, from Alaska to Mexico.
Over the course of their range, they were largely wiped out at the hands of the livestock industry, and only recently are they being brought back to areas where they once roamed freely.
Humans pose the greatest threat to wolves through both legal trophy hunting and illegal poaching.
WildEarth Guardians is a conservation organization.
He added that wolves must be protected if they are to be brought back to Colorado, especially considering how small the population is.
The young wolf population in Colorado has taken a significant hit as a result of the deaths of three wolves.
Because wolves are social animals, a lack of protection affects pack dynamics and a small population's ability to survive.
According to Smith, reintroducing wolves to Colorado is both a legal requirement and a way to make amends for past wrongs.
Restoration of Wolves
The process of reintroducing wolves to Colorado was protracted and not always well received.
In November 2020, the state decided to reintroduce the species.
Biologists have stated that the species' reintroduction is essential for the state's ecosystem because it will restore the predator-prey balance in the region, which alarmed some farmers who feared the wolves would steal their livestock.
Smith said in an interview with Newsweek that the effort to restore wolves in Colorado offers a chance to do it right and avert the disastrous war on wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains.
However, false information and rhetoric that plays on fear will result in dead wolves, further encroachment, and perhaps more livestock losses.
Biologists from Colorado Parks and Wildlife told The Coloradoan that on October 28, two additional North Park pack members were spotted, but it is unknown how many still exist.
Gray Wolves
The National Wildlife Federation describes gray wolves, also known as timber wolves, as canines with long, bushy tails that commonly have black tips.
The color of their coat can vary from completely white to completely brown or completely black.
Gray wolves typically have buffy facial markings and is a mixture of gray and brown.
Gray wolves are currently an endangered species.
Related article: Endangered Mexican Gray Wolf Released 4 Years Ago for Biodiversity, Recently Found Dead
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