Colorado Parks and Wildlife/Courtesy photo
Colorado Parks and Wildlife was unable to capture what it believes to be a fifth wolf pup from the Copper Creek Pack after trying for 19 nights.
Citing declining temperatures, Parks and Wildlife decided on Thursday, Oct. 10, to stop the operation “for the safety of the wolf pup,” it stated in a release.
Parks and Wildlife spotted the uncollared gray wolf pup on a trail camera in Grand County on Sept. 20 — over three weeks after it had captured what it believed to be the pack’s six total members.
Ten days later, it announced it would attempt to reunite the pup with the surviving members of the pack, who remain in captivity.
In a news release, it stated that while it was unsuccessful in capturing the pup, it will continue to monitor the trail cameras in the area for evidence of the wolf during “normal staff duties.”
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The wolf is around six months old and able to hunt small animals such as rabbits and squirrels and forage on their own.
The Copper Creek Pack was captured and relocated to a sanctuary in late August and early September. The adult male wolf died four days after his capture in captivity from injuries it had sustained in the wild. The investigation into the cause of death is ongoing.
The adult female as well as four of the wolf pups remain in captivity. Parks and Wildlife is preparing to collar the pups and release them back into the wild this winter. Whether the female will be released with them is still up in the air.
Public sightings of the wolf pup that remains in the wild can be reported to Parks and Wildlife’s Hot Sulphur Springs Area office at 970-725-6200.