Colorado Gray Wolf Sighting Confirmed

DENVER, CO — A reported gray wolf sighting in Jackson County has been confirmed. The gray wolf was from Wyoming's Snake River Pack, according to Wyoming Game and Fish. The collared wolf was last recorded by a telemetry flight near South Pass, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said.

“Colorado Parks and Wildlife will monitor the area but is no longer actively pursuing the wolf’s location," CPW said in a statement. "CPW will remain in close communication with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the USDA Wildlife Services, Wyoming Game and Fish and local municipalities."

CPW shared photos of the wolf on social media, which showed it was wearing a collar.

"Last month, a wolf was photographed in northwest Colorado by a private citizen!" Gov. Jared Polis said in a Facebook post. "CPW received many reports of wolf sightings near our northern border, but photographs are much rarer."

"The Gray Wolf is gradually returning to its historic homeland in Colorado from areas with healthy wolf populations including Montana and Wyoming," he said.

A gray wolf was shot to death in Grand County two years ago. Killing a wolf for sport is a federal crime and offenders can be slapped with fines of up to $100,000 and receive up to one year in prison.

Colorado was once home to many gray wolves, but they were killed off by about 1940, CPW said. Some have advocated reintroducing gray wolves to Colorado but ranchers are worried the animals will kill their livestock.

Gray wolves currently roam free in Wyoming, Montana, California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Wolf sightings can be reported on the CPW website.