Colorado Parks and Wildlife has confirmed that chronic depredation involving wolves and livestock is taking place in another county.

A press release on the matter indicates that three separate depredation events took place involving an uncollared wolf. The dates of the incidents were July 20, July 22, and August 2.

Following the first incident, Colorado Parks and Wildlife indicates that they started working directly with local livestock producers and woolgrowers to provide “around the clock” range rider coverage in hopes of preventing additional depredation while also hazing the wolf when possible. Unfortunately, the depredation continued.

Given the lack of a tracking collar on the wolf, the problematic wolf is presumably not one of the wolves that was translocated into the state by officials, rather it may have naturally migrated into the area. While wolves were not reintroduced into Rio Blanco County as part of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife effort, the Three Creeks Pack did form in the area over recent months with the birth of a litter of pups.

Generally, chronic depredation of this nature would justify lethal removal of a problematic wolf, but in this case, the area where the depredations have taken place are under evacuation due to the 7,750-acre Elk Fire that’s burning near Meeker.

As a result, the typical response related to the situation has been put on a sort of hold for the sake of protecting the safety of staff that would be deployed. In the meantime, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is set to continue to monitor the situation in coordination with emergency services in a way that prioritizes human safety while attempting to minimize livestock loss.

“This is a truly unprecedented set of circumstances and my thoughts are with the firefighters and the emergency responders who are working to minimize damage in Rio Blanco County, as well as the producers and CPW’s staff,” said Jeff Davis, director of CPW.