JACKSON COUNTY, Colorado — A calf found dead in northern Colorado was killed by a wolf, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said.
CPW said they responded to "a report of a possible depredation incident" in Jackson County Sunday morning. Their field investigation found injuries on the calf "consistent with wolf depredation, including a partially consumed hindquarter." Partial wolf tracks were also found in the area, CPW said.
The landowner may be eligible for compensation after submitting a claim, CPW said.
Ten gray wolves were released in Grand and Summit counties in mid-December in accordance with a voter-approved reintroduction program. In addition, Colorado wildlife officials collared two wolves in Jackson County after wolves dispersed to that area on their own in 2021.
CPW said they "will not be providing any further specific location or specific animal information" related to this depredation. They said they are aware of four wolves in the area, including wolves that were released in December 2023 and a wolf or wolves with known territory in North Park.
A calf found dead Tuesday morning in Grand County was also killed by a wolf, CPW said. CPW said the wolf or wolves involved were part of the 10 wolves that were reintroduced to Colorado in December 2023. That was the first confirmed livestock depredation in the state since reintroduction.
RELATED: Wolf kills calf in Grand County
CPW tracks wolves in the state and releases a monthly report on their movements. The most recent report that covered Feb. 28 through March 25 showed wolf activity in watersheds across the northwestern part of the state.
The report noted that one of the wolves captured in Oregon and released in Colorado no longer has a functioning collar but that the wolf travels with another wolf that does have a functioning collar. Another wolf's collar is partly functional, CPW said.
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