Reintroduced wolf kills calf in Grand County; first reported depredation
DENVER (KDVR) — After investigating, Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed Wednesday that a wolf killed a Grand County landowner’s calf on the morning of April 2.
CPW wildlife officers conducted a field investigation before confirming the wolf attack. In the most recent gray wolf movement map update from CPW, the agency reported that no wolves had died and there were no livestock deaths as a result of wolves either.
“The results of this investigation indicated wounds consistent with wolf depredation,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Jeromy Huntington. “The field investigation found multiple tooth rake marks on the calf’s hindquarters and neck, and hemorrhaging under the hide, consistent with wolf depredation. Wolf tracks were also found nearby.”
CPW refused an interview with FOX31 about the livestock death and wolf involvement and at first would not clarify if the calf’s death was connected to a collared gray wolf or a non-tracked wolf. At about 6:20 p.m., a CPW official confirmed the calf was killed by one of the wolves first introduced to the state in December.
Depredations refers to an act of preying upon or robbery from someone. This is the first confirmed livestock depredation in Colorado since the wolves were reintroduced in December 2023.
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“CPW staff will continue contacting producers in the area, and encouraging the use of appropriate non-lethal deterrents available through the agency,” CPW said in its release.
According to CPW, the livestock producer will be eligible for fair market value compensation of the calf if a claim is submitted to the agency. The agency also said it is not allowed to release private landowner information, and the landowner has requested to not be contacted.
The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association said it will continue advocating for policies and practices that support Colorado rancher’s livelihoods.
“The incident, which resulted in the loss of livestock, underscores the ongoing challenges faced by ranchers in managing conflicts between livestock and wildlife. Wolf presence presents significant challenges for ranchers striving to maintain the health and well-being of their livestock,” the association said in a release.
Last December, the state agency released 12 wolves into Colorado as part of a voter-approved plan to reintroduce the natural predators into the environment. Officials hope to release between 30-50 wolves in the next five years and have already made plans to relocate wolves from Oregon to Colorado between December 2024 and March 2025.
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