A three-year-old breeding male gray wolf died during routine collaring operations in Routt County, Colorado, according to a press release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW).
“All wildlife capture operations come with a risk and while we meticulously prepare and take every precaution to ensure a positive outcome, there is always the possibility, even if small, that the worst happens. Our staff and contractors carefully followed CPW Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) guidelines during this operation, but when the animal was delivered to CPW staff in the field from the initial capture site, it was unresponsive. Our team initiated resuscitation efforts but determined the animal had died.” – Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Acting Director Laura Clellan.
Gray wolf 2305, the breeding male that died during the operation on January 28th, 2026, was part of the King Mountain Pack. CPW performed a necropsy at its Health Lab in Fort Collins, though the final results and lab tests are still pending. The necropsy, attended by a third-party veterinary pathologist, will help determine if there were any underlying conditions that led to the wolf’s death.
Gray wolves in Colorado are a federally endangered species and, as such, necropsies are usually performed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In this case, since there is not a potential law enforcement investigation, CPW was given permission from the USFWS to conduct the necropsy.
“We are grateful for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s support in accelerating this process so it could be communicated to the public in a timely manner. While ACUC guidelines do not necessitate a pause in capture operations following one mortality event, CPW has decided to cease capture operations for the time being while we evaluate the circumstances around this mortality.” – Laura Clellan
The adult female and one pup from the King Mountain Pack were successfully captured and collared during the operation. Four pups, including the newly collared one, were observed in the King Mountain Pack through the operation.
“It’s not yet possible to understand the long term implications to the King Mountain Pack as a result of this mortality. We will continue to monitor this pack to evaluate their status and how they are contributing to the establishment of a self-sustaining wolf population in Colorado.” – CPW Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell.
