First Wolf Pack In Recent History Spotted In Colorado

A pack of wolves may now live in northwestern Colorado, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. At least six wolves were spotted roaming together in October, and evidence of a pack was seen last week in the same region, wildlife officials announced Wednesday.

The agency said the sighting "marks the first time in recent history" that wildlife officials have received a report of multiple wolves traveling together in Colorado.

The announcement was made just days after election officials approved a 2020 ballot question about the reintroduction of gray wolves to Colorado. If the general election measure passes, wolves would be placed back into their historic homeland in western Colorado.

An elk carcass was found last week nearly cleaned of all its meat in Irish Canyon in Moffat County, just a few miles from the October sighting, wildlife officials said.

Read also: Gray Wolf Initiative To Appear On Colorado's 2020 Ballot

Colorado was once home to many gray wolves, but they were killed off by around 1940, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Gray wolves currently roam free in Wyoming, Montana, California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin. Around 6,000 gray wolves live in the Pacific Northwest, the northern Rockies and the western Great Lakes.

In July 2019, a gray wolf was spotted in Jackson County, Colorado. The sighting sparked excitement across the state; however, it was later confirmed that the wolf was from Wyoming's Snake River Pack.