Colorado Gray Wolf Death from Gunshot Triggers Federal Investigation

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Colorado Gray Wolf Death from Gunshot Triggers Federal Investigation

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INDIATIMES

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Colorado Gray Wolf Death from Gunshot Triggers Federal Investigation

Credited from: INDIATIMES

DENVER: A gray wolf in Colorado was illegally shot and subsequently succumbed to its injuries, prompting a federal investigation, as reported by India Times and AP News. This incident serves as a flashpoint in Colorado's contentious, voter-driven initiative aimed at reintroducing the gray wolf population to the state.

In 2020, Colorado residents, predominantly from urban areas, voted in favor of bringing back these predators, while many rural inhabitants expressed concern over potential threats to their livestock. Since the initial release of ten wolves a year ago, over two dozen complaints of livestock attacks have been reported.

The deceased wolf belonged to the Copper Creek Pack and was captured in late August following multiple livestock killings in Grand County, northwest of Denver. After being found in emaciated condition with an injured hind leg, a necropsy revealed that a gunshot wound was the cause of death.

Wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act, making it a federal offense to kill or injure them without appropriate authority. Colorado authorities plan to release between 30 and 50 wolves in the coming years to address one of the last significant gaps in the western wolf range, which historically extends from northern Canada to the desert southwest.

For more information, visit the full articles on India Times and AP News.