On September 9, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) wrapped up the capture of all six members of the Copper Creek wolf pack, according to a press release. The team, with help from federal partners, safely relocated the adult wolves and four pups to a secure location for evaluation. Unfortunately, the adult male wolf, 2309-OR, was found injured and in poor health and passed away shortly after. The remaining wolves are being monitored and prepped for release once they’re strong enough to survive on their own.

CPW’s plan aims to restore a healthy wolf population in Colorado while balancing the needs of local ranchers. The captured pups were underweight but healthy, and CPW will keep assessing their condition before re-releasing them into the wild. The goal is to ensure their well-being and success in contributing to the state’s wolf restoration efforts.

Timeline of Copper Creek pack capture operation:
On Thursday, August 22, CPW began the operation to capture and relocate wolves from the depredating Copper Creek wolf pack, with technical support from federal partners.

• The adult female 2312-OR was captured on Saturday, August 24.
• The adult male 2309-OR was captured on Friday, August 30 and died on Tuesday, September 3.
• The male pup 2401 was captured on Tuesday, September 3.
• Male pups 2403 and 2405 were captured on Wednesday, September 4.
• The female pup 2402 was captured on Thursday, September 5.

After three more days of operations, CPW felt confident there were no additional pups on the landscape. For the safety of these animals and staff, CPW will not be sharing the location of the pack.

You can read more about the efforts of Colorado Parks and Wildlife in regard to the Copper Creek wolf pack here.

Photo credit: Photo by Brendan Oates / USFWS