GRAND COUNTY, Colo. — Four yearling cattle were killed by gray wolves at one property in Grand County this week, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW).
CPW said it received a report of a possible depredation incident in the county on Wednesday morning. Wildlife officers, as well as a biologist, responded to investigate and found three deceased yearling cattle. All of them had injuries consistent with a wolf attack. CPW said it believes they died between Monday night and Tuesday morning, when about a foot of snow covered the carcasses, and were not discovered until Wednesday morning.
On Thursday morning, CPW received an additional report of a possible depredation on the same property. Wildlife officers found one dead yearling cattle with injuries that also led them to believe a wolf had attacked and partially consumed the animal.
The wolf or wolves that were in that area this week are part of the 10 animals that were reintroduced to Colorado in December. For background: As part of the state's voter-mandated reintroduction effort, CPW released its first five gray wolves on Dec. 18, 2023 at an undisclosed place in Grand County. Five more were released a few days later in Grand and Summit counties.
The first depredation was confirmed on April 2 and the second was confirmed on April 7.
Watch our coverage below on the first confirmed depredation.
In line with the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan, the livestock producer is eligible for fair market value compensation if they submit a claim, CPW said.
That plan describes the legal requirement to provide fair compensation to livestock owners for any economic losses if their animals are injured or killed by wolves. If livestock or a guard animal is injured or killed, the wolf-livestock compensation program will pay for 100% of fair market value compensation, up to $15,000 per animal. A detailed layout of the compensation options is outlined on page 33 of the management plan here.
CPW has hired a wolf conflict coordinator to serve as the statewide expert on human-wolf conflicts, the plan reads.
CPW and the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) are working to finalize a program to partner livestock producers with range riders, the latter of which provides a deterrent for predators that may be near livestock herds. CDA has a budget request in the legislature that includes funding the range riders.
If you see a gray wolf, CPW asks that you fill out its wolf sighting form here. If possible, wildlife officers ask that you take photos and videos.
