Colorado Parks and Wildlife recently acted on their decision to relocate the Copper Creek wolf pack in response to conflict with livestock.
Sadly, during the relocation process, the male from the pack died.
CPW released an official announcement stating that he was found in poor condition, unrelated to the capture, and died four days later.
The mom and pups are being held in a secure facility until a decision is made about their release.
Whether or not the male’s injuries were related to the capture and relocation, this is an example of the risk associated with direct intervention with wildlife and why it should be used only as a last resort.
If the reports are correct, and the alpha male of the pack had been sick or injured for an extended period of time, this could be an explanation for the livestock conflicts that led to this intervention in the first place.
Because of the age of the pups, the alpha female would have been restricted in her ability to hunt, needing to stay very close to the den. This means that the alpha male was solely responsible for feeding his family.
Hunting alone is extremely difficult and dangerous for a healthy wolf, much less an injured or sick one. This could explain why he had to resort to easier meals like livestock.
Either way, this is a tragic situation that raises a lot of questions about the future of the Copper Creek Pack and wolf management in Colorado.