The 14th wolf to die in Colorado since their reintroduction about two years ago took place during a “collaring” operation in the northwestern region of the state last week. Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the wolf, identified as #2305 — meaning it was one of the original 10 animals that ca me from Oregon — died on Jan. 28 in Routt County. The wolf was the male of the breeding pair that produced the King Mountain pack last year. Of the original 10 wolves from Oregon, five have now died. Two yearlings from the Copper Creek pack, whose mating pair were from Oregon, also died. Another seven wolves from the original 15 of the British Columbia wolves have also died. The state obtained permission from the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service to perform the necropsy on the wolf. A statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) said final results and lab tests from the necropsy are pending and will help determine if there were any underlying conditions that contributed to the wolf’s death. According to CPW, staffers attempted to capture and collar some of the King Mountain pack, which consisted of a mating pair and four pups, due in part to low batteries in the collars of the mating pair. The adult female and one pup were successfully captured and collared during the operation. “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,” Acting CPW Director Laura Clellan said Tuesday. She added that CPW staff and contractors “carefully followed CPW Animal Care and Use Committee 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.” CPW uses collars to monitor wolf activity, including tracking where they travel. The collars also help with the deployment of conflict minimization efforts, the agency said, adding it tries to keep at least two members of each pack collared. CPW has announced it does not intend to bring in more wolves during the winter season. Colorado does not have a source for the next group of wolves, given that U.S. Fish Wildlife Service has made it clear the state can no longer source wolves from British Columbia. The states that Colorado is supposed to obtain wolves from have all denied requests for the animals. ...read more read less