Wolf pack blamed in Colorado livestock attacks is captured and will be relocated

Colorado wildlife officials said Monday that they captured and plan to relocate five members of the first pack of wolves to form under the state's ambitious wolf reintroduction program.A sixth wolf — the pack's adult male — was captured but died in captivity due to injuries unrelated to its capture, officials said.That wolf had been involved in repeated attacks on livestock and officials said it would have been kept in captivity if it survived.The attacks and subsequent capture of the Copper Creek pack mark an early stumble in a voter-driven initiative to restore wolves to a state where they were wiped out decades ago by poison, trapping and hunting.The pack formed after 10 of the predators from Oregon were released in December over bitter opposition from livestock groups.

The bid to capture them went against Colorado’s wolf management plan, which says relocation has “little technical merit” because it could create problems elsewhere if the animals continue attacking livestock.The plan calls for using non-lethal approaches, such as patrolling ranches with range riders and scaring away problem wolves, or killing them if necessary to stop ongoing attacks on livestock.State officials said the female and four pups were not involved in the killings of cattle and sheep in Grant County.They decided against killing the pack in part because it would have been a major setback for a restoration effort still in its infancy.“It was a very, very unique situation right out of the gate and it demanded a unique response and part of that is making sure the pups in particular have a second chance in the wild,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis said at a Monday news conference.A decision is pending on where the remainder of the pack will be released.

That will occur after the pups get larger and can hunt on their own, officials said.Ranching groups wanted the wolf pack killed.Moving them elsewhere will just relocate the problem, said Tim Ritschard, presid...