By Rachel Gabel | The Fence Post
A rancher in Elbert County, Colorado, contacted Colorado Parks and Wildlife after discovering a wolf-like animal in a legal coyote trap on April 3 on a ranch in eastern Colorado.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed that this animal is a gray wolf from the Great Lakes wolf population. This is not a wolf from the 10 recently released by Colorado Parks and Wildlife in December 2023.
As a federally listed species under the Endangered Species Act, the service is investigating this incident and is working in coordination with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. As an open and active investigation, no additional details are available at this time.
The animal was an 84-pound male captured by a trapper using a legal leg-hold trap on a 30-day agricultural trapping exemption for nuisance wildlife, including coyotes. The trapper was unable to identify the species and contacted a CPW officer who responded to examine the animal and investigate the circumstances of the animal’s death.