The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating the death of a female gray wolf in southwestern Colorado.
According to a statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the agency received a mortality alert for female gray wolf 2506 on Oct. 30.
In its statement, CPW confirms the mortality took place in southwest Colorado.
As a federally listed species under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating, according to CPW.
CPW’s statement explains that a final determination of the cause of death will not be made until the investigation is completed, including the necropsy, a foundational component of the overall investigation process.
Wolf 2506 was part of the group of wolves translocated to Colorado from British Columbia in January 2025.
No additional details were available as of press time Wednesday.
It was not confirmed if the wolf is the same lone female wolf that recently made its way through Archuleta County multiple times as part of traveling more than 3,500 miles since being released.
According to CPW, two lone females have entered watersheds in Archuleta County, with a separate lone female — the first confirmed collared wolf activity in Archuleta County — entering northern Archuleta County as part of a large loop shortly before Mother’s Day.
According to CPW, the average lifespan of a gray wolf in the Rocky Mountains is generally three to four years.
Wolf reintroduction and living with wolves
Proposition 114, now Colorado Revised Statute 33-2-105.8, was approved by Colorado voters on Nov. 3, 2020, directing the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to develop a plan to introduce and manage gray wolves in Colorado west of the Continental Divide.
Reintroduction began in 2023 with 10 wolves and has continued, with 15 wolves that were translocated from the central interior of British Columbia, Canada, to Colorado earlier this year, according to CPW.
For information on living with wolves, visit https://cpw.state.co.us/living-wolves.
Federal letter
On Oct. 10, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik sent a letter to CPW Director Jeff Davis stating Colorado must translocate wolves obtained from certain parts of the United States.
Wolves released earlier this year were obtained from British Columbia, Canada, with CPW signing an agreement to translocate more from the area this winter and stating that agreement was based on consultation with the federal agency.
The letter states that the 10(j) rule allows gray wolves to be obtained from the delisted northern Rocky Mountain (NRM) population areas of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, the eastern third of Oregon, the eastern third of Washington, and north-central Utah.
“We have reason to believe that CPW may be seeking to capture, transport, and/or release one or more wolves from areas outside of the specified NRM Areas outlined in the 10(j) rule. To the extent that these reports are true, such actions are violative of the 10(j) rule. If CPW is currently engaged in such activities, CPW must immediately cease and desist any and all efforts related to the capture, transport and/or release of gray wolves not obtained from to [sic] the NRM Areas,” it states.
CPW issued the following statement following the federal letter:
“CPW continues to evaluate all options to support this year’s gray wolf releases in alignment with the approved Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan and the 10(j). CPW is currently evaluating recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) communication regarding available sources for gray wolves from the delisted Northern Rocky Mountain population areas.
“CPW has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a recently signed contract with British Columbia’s Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. Before this agreement was paused, it allowed CPW to translocate 10-15 wolves this winter in partnership with British Columbia. This MOU, as well as last year’s partnership, were based on consultations with USFWS and were signed before the letter from USFWS was received.”
randi@pagosasun.com
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