One of Colorado’s reintroduced wolves likely died of wounds it suffered during a fight with another wolf, federal officials announced Thursday.
The wolf also had a healed gunshot wound on one of its hind legs, according to a statement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed the wolf’s death in Grand County on Sept. 10. The Fish and Wildlife Service investigated the death, as grey wolves in Colorado are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
The investigation found that the wolf, identified as 2307-OR, died from injuries suffered in a fight, likely with another wolf. The deceased male wolf was in good nutritional health at the time of its death.
“The examination revealed trauma typical of wounds caused by wolves and other canids and preliminary analysis of hair samples collected from the scene further supports the involvement of another wolf,” FWS spokesman Joe Szuszwalak said in a statement.
The death was the third among the 10 wolves reintroduced into the state in December.
One wolf was found dead in the spring, presumably killed after a fight with a mountain lion.
The second — the patriarch of the first pack established by reintroduced wolves — died Sept. 3 after being captured by Colorado Parks and Wildlife following livestock killings. CPW said the wolf died of injuries it sustained prior to capture. The FWS’ investigation into that death has not concluded.
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