Colorado wildlife officials captured the state’s first pack produced by released wolves after depredations earlier this year. The Copper Creek pack, consisting of two adults and four pups, was removed from Grand County due to multiple livestock killings. The male wolf died from unrelated injuries during trapping. The female and pups were captured without incident using foothold traps and are being evaluated at a secure location. The pups will be released when they reach adult size and are too young to have been involved in the depredations. There are discussions about where to release the wolves, with some advocating for their return to the wild and others opposing it due to concerns about their potential impact on livestock. Wolf advocacy groups have expressed mixed reactions to the removal, with some praising the professional handling of the situation by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and others criticizing the lack of non-lethal conflict reduction measures. Ranchers support the removal of the pack, but are against the rerelease of any members due to their association with livestock depredation. Overall, the situation highlights the ongoing debate surrounding wolf reintroduction in Colorado and the challenges of coexistence between wolves and livestock.
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