A Short Life in the Wild
She was supposed to be part of a new beginning for wolves in Colorado. But just months after being released into the wild, a young gray wolf has been found dead in Rocky Mountain National Park, casting a somber note over the state’s ambitious reintroduction project.
The female wolf, known by her collar number 2514-BC, was one of 15 gray wolves relocated from British Columbia to Colorado this past January. Her release marked the second phase of the state’s voter-approved initiative to restore the species to its historic range.
On April 20, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) received a “mortality alert” from her tracking collar. Biologists later confirmed the wolf had died inside the national park. Her cause of death remains unknown.
A Federal Investigation Underway
Because gray wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken over the investigation. Wildlife officials say they are committed to understanding what led to the young wolf’s death.
This loss marks at least the sixth death among the wolves reintroduced in the state. Some have died from natural causes, while others were killed—one by federal officials in Wyoming after it preyed on livestock.
Still, CPW emphasizes that not all wolves survive in the wild, and losses are expected. The average lifespan of a gray wolf in the Rocky Mountains is just three to four years, and such mortality is accounted for in the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan.
The Future of Colorado’s Wolves
Despite setbacks, officials remain optimistic about the future of the reintroduction effort. The plan, which was launched after Colorado voters narrowly approved Proposition 114 in 2020, aims to build a self-sustaining wolf population in the Western Slope.
“This is part of what happens when you restore wild animals to the landscape,” said a CPW spokesperson. “We track every loss, and we continue to learn.”
The reintroduction project is a bold attempt to restore balance to the region’s ecosystems. As investigations continue, conservationists hope that the lessons learned from this loss will strengthen protections for the wolves still roaming the Colorado wilderness—similar to how Slovakia’s last circus tigers began new lives at a sanctuary, overcoming hardship through determined conservation efforts.
