Some wolves reintroduced into Colorado came from packs with history of attacking livestock

Half of the 10 wolves released in Colorado's high country last month as part of an effort to re-populate the species back into the state were obtained from Oregon wolfpacks which had history of attacking livestock there. 

The attacks are referred to as "depredations" in a database compiled by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The department recorded 114 incidents resulting in injury or death to sheep and cattle in 2023 in the state. The department has kept such records since 2011.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife selected these wolves for transport to Colorado:

      Name          Sex    Age      Weight    Color      Pack

• 2302-OR      F      Yearling   68 lb      Black     Five Points

• 2303-OR      M     Yearling   76 lb      Gray      Five Points

• 2304-OR      F      Yearling   76 lb     Gray       Noregaard

• 2305-OR     M      Yearling   93 lb     Gray       Noregaard

• 2306-OR     F       Yearling   66 lb     Gray      Noregaard

• 2307-OR     M      Adult       108 lb    Black     Wenaha

• 2308-OR     F      Yearling   74 lb      Gray      Noregaard

• 2309-OR     M     Adult       104 lb     Gray      Wenaha

• 2310-OR     F     Yearling    71 lb      Gray      Desolation

• 2312-OR     F    Yearling     76 lb      Gray      No Pack

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The Five Points, Noregaard, Wenaha and Desolation packs are located in the northeast corner of Oregon.

Oregon counted eight attacks in 2023 involving wolves from those packs: 

Investigation date    Determination and pack responsible      County, general area, land ownership              Livestock info

• 7/7/2023                 Confirmed      Five Points Pack          Union Co, Five Points Creek, private land       1 five-month-old dead                                                                                                                                                                          calf
• 7/11/2023               Confirmed     Five Points Pack           Union Co, Five Points Creek, private land       1 five-month-old                                                                                                                                                                                    injured calf (same                                                                                                                                                                                event as 7/7/2023                                                                                                                                                                                investigation)
• 7/12/2023              Confirmed     Five Points Pack           Umatilla Co, Five Points Creek, public land     1 five-month-old injured                                                                                                                                                                        calf
• 9/18/2023              Confirmed     Wenaha Pack               Wallowa Co, Elk Flat, public land                      1 dead seven-month-                                                                                                                                                                            old calf
• 10/25/2023            Confirmed    Wenaha Pack                Wallowa Co, Cross Canyon, public land            1 dead cow
• 5/28/2023              Confirmed    Desolation Pack             Grant Co, Middle Fork John Day, private land   2 four to six-weekold                                                                                                                                                                             injured calves
• 5/11/2023              Probable      Desolation Pack             Grant Co, Middle Fork John Day, private land    1 five-week-old dead                                                                                                                                                                           calf
• 9/22/2023             Confirmed    Desolation Pack              Grant Co, Board Gulch, public land                   1 dead steer

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The Five Points pack was a concern for Colorado's wildlife managers, according to CPW spokesman Travis Duncan. But, he said, four wolves were "lethally removed" from the pack after the July 2023 predations, in accordance to the Oregon wolf management program's response to predation.   

"The pack," Duncan stated, "has not depredated since."

CPW drew a line when Oregon packs showed a predisposition for repeated attacks over longer periods of time, Duncan stated.

"It's important to note that any wolves that have been near livestock will have some history of depredation, and this includes all packs in Oregon," Duncan noted. "CPW teams in Oregon passed on several larger and easier-to-access packs because they had recent depredation or had a chronic or ongoing depredation history."

CPW officials also considered the age of the wolves. Eight of the 10 are yearlings, and it is believed younger animals have not been imprinted with the hunting of livestock by their pack's older adults.  

The 10 wolves released in December mark the first step in the reintroduction effort that was passed by Colorado voters in 2021.  Agricultural organizations tried to thwart the releases with legal action. A federal judge ruled against the proposed injunction.

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The first phase of Colorado's wolf reintroduction program intends to supplement the existing population with transfers until at least 50 of the animals can be counted anywhere in the state in four consecutive winters. At that time, the state will consider de-listing the wolves from their current status of threatened and endangered. Efforts to add to their numbers will then ramp down.