The Fish and Wildlife Service revealed Thursday that a male wolf at the center of a dispute between Colorado state wildlife officials and local ranchers died as the result of a gunshot wound — a reversal from initial reports that the animal died in September from natural causes.
FWS announced it would offer an unspecified “monetary reward” for information, while conservation groups offered a combined $65,000 for information that leads to arrests and convictions in the incident.
“A necropsy revealed that a gunshot wound initiated the poor condition of the wolf and ultimately led to the cause of death,” the agency said in a statement. Because gray wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act, the animals may not be harmed or killed without federal authorization.
Colorado at the end of 2023 began a multiyear process to reintroduce 30 to 50 gray wolves to the state, as mandated by a 2020 ballot measure. Additional wolves have also migrated into the state from a pack in Wyoming.
