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Colorado Parks and Wildlife ends search for wolf attacking livestock in Rio Blanco County – Aspen Times
Sep
NewsNews |
alongwell@postindependent.com
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is ending its search for an uncollared wolf attacking livestock in Rio Blanco County after an unsuccessful attempt at killing the animal, according to a news release sent by the agency on Tuesday.
The state wildlife agency partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services to attempt to remove the wolf. While an operation to locate and kill the animal was delayed for nearly two weeks by the Elk Fire, Parks and Wildlife Deputy Director Reid Dewalt confirmed last week that the search had begun.
Staff from Parks and Wildlife and Wildlife Services were able to locate the wolf on Aug. 16 and did shoot a firearm in an attempt to kill the wolf, according to a statement from Travis Duncan, public information officer for Parks and Wildlife.
Following the shot, however, the two agencies “engaged in an exhaustive search but were unable to locate the animal,” Duncan added.
When asked whether the agents know if the firearm injured or hit the wolf, Duncan said the agency will not be releasing any more information about the operation until the final report is completed and posted to the Parks and Wildlife website.
The team on the ground “systematically” searched the area over the next six days, but was unable to find and kill the wolf due to “dense vegetation and difficult terrain in the area,” according to the release.
While Parks and Wildlife reported that the search and removal efforts are now concluded, both the state agency and Wildlife Services will continue to monitor Rio Blanco County for signs of further wolf activity. The agency added that there have been no depredations or reports of wolf vocalizations since Aug. 16.
Parks and Wildlife previously reported that the uncollared wolf was responsible for three livestock attacks — involving two lambs and one ewe — in Rio Blanco County on July 20, July 22 and Aug. 2.
This met the agency’s “chronic depredation” definition, marked by three or more wolf depredations in 30 days. Paired with cooperation by the affected producer to deploy non-lethal tools in an attempt to reduce conflict between wolves and livestock, Parks and Wildlife determined on Aug. 4 that the situation merited the lethal removal of the wolf. However, it delayed the search due to the fire activity for 12 days.
Parks and Wildlife has since confirmed that the wolf was connected to a fourth attack in the county on Aug. 16, where three lambs were killed.
As the effort concludes in Rio Blanco County, Parks and Wildlife staff are still on the ground in Pitkin County searching for a second wolf in the Copper Creek pack connected to multiple livestock attacks in the region.
The agency killed one of the pack’s yearling members in May after officials connected some of the pack’s wolves to four attacks between May 17 and May 25.
However, as the wolf’s death failed to change the pack’s behavior, and livestock attacks have continued in the region — with depredations confirmed on July 17 and Aug. 7 — the agency is looking to kill another animal from the pack.
The search to find and euthanize a second Copper Creek wolf began on July 20. Dewalt blamed “remote and difficult terrain” for the challenges in locating the animal.
The Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved on second reading Wednesday the authorization of a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service and the creation of an enterprise fund for management under the permit for the Maroon Bells Scenic Area.
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