Copper Creek Pack wolf died from a gunshot wound and not a predator attack, new necropsy shows

The male wolf from Colorado’s Copper Creek pack died from a gunshot wound, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

On Thursday, Jan. 2, the federal agency released the cause of death in a news release, asking for information regarding the illegal killing of the wolf in Grand County. 

“A necropsy revealed that a gunshot wound initiated the poor condition of the wolf and ultimately led to the cause of death,” according to the release. 

Gray wolves remain listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act, making it illegal to harass, kill, or harm the predators without authorization from the federal agency.

The adult male wolf was one of 10 wolves brought to Colorado from Oregon in December 2023 and the first to form a pack with another of the reintroduced wolves. The wolf and pack were then connected to several livestock deaths in Grand County, prompting Colorado Parks and Wildlife to capture the wolves and relocate them to a wildlife sanctuary.

The male wolf was the first of the pack to be captured in late August. He was found in poor condition and died in captivity on Sept. 3. At the time of the wolf’s death, Parks and Wildlife reported that the wolf had several injuries on its right hind leg, had an infection and was underweight when captured. While the agency speculated that the injury indicated another “carnivore-type animal attack,” the body was turned over to the Fish and Wildlife Service for the official necropsy. 

A second male wolf died in September in Grand County. This wolf was also found with an old, healed gunshot wound. However, the initial necropsy results from the Fish and Wildlife Service on this wolf identified that the cause of death was likely a fight with another wolf, not a gunshot wound. 

The Fish and Wildlife Service is now seeking information through its wildlife crime tips program about the wolf’s death, offering a monetary award for information that could further their investigation.

In November, the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project launched a $50,000 reward in Colorado for informants who report illegal poaching through Parks and Wildlife’s Operation Game Thief program. 

Parks and Wildlife can prosecute illegal poachers under civil or criminal statutes, with fines up to $100,000, up to one year in jail, and suspend hunting privileges for anywhere from one year to life. Federal prosecution can result in a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to one year in jail.