TELLER COUNTY — According to at least one Teller County resident, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has informed him that a solo female gray wolf entered Teller County Saturday night and was last tracked in the Florissant Fossil Beds area on Sunday.
It's unclear if the wolf remained in the area. CPW would only confirm a wolf has made movements into southeast region watersheds that include Park County, Teller County and Fremont County.
Clint Whiting, a part-time hunting guide and farm and ranch real estate agent in Divide, said CPW called him Sunday morning and asked him to help get the word out.
Whiting said through his job and role as a hunting guide, he works closely with CPW and does volunteer work with the agency.
In an email to KOAA, CPW said field staff inform local area producers when wolves are spending time in an area and work to establish site assessments to identify and deploy deterrence measures.
Whiting said the news could be a big concern for members of the high-country community because many of them are “hobby ranchers.”
“Smaller ranches that have goats and llamas, a couple of cows and things like that, that makes, generally speaking, easy prey for this [wolf],” said Whiting.
CPW also informed Whiting, according to him, that this lone wolf managed to kill a cow elk by itself. According to CPW, cow elks can weigh from 400 to 600 pounds on average.
“A goat or a llama would be no problem,” Whiting said.
According to the hunting guide, his CPW contact reached out knowing that he’s involved in the community, hoping he could help warn people to be cautious of their pets and animals.
“They're trying to streamline the lines of communication and getting the word out as much as possible,” Whiting said. “And had asked me to divulge that to as many people, and just try to bring awareness to the community, because this is new for us here.”
In an email to KOAA, CPW wouldn't confirm the exact location as described by Whiting, but did note one wolf had traveled into the region.
"Recent wolf collar data shows that one wolf has made movements into southeast region watersheds that include Park County, Teller County and Fremont County," said Travis Duncan with CPW. "This was to be expected and it's important to remember wolves can and do move substantial distances."
Whiting said it's possible the wolf could be approaching the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, a sanctuary in Divide, since the species typically mates in mid-to-late February, according to CPW.
Each month, CPW releases a map detailing where the collared gray wolves have traveled in Colorado. In the most recent map from Jan. 22, showing their activity from Dec. 22 last year through Jan. 21 this year, no wolf had yet come close to Teller County.
On Jan. 19, CPW completed its second release for the state's gray wolf reintroduction following voter approval in 2020. There are now 29 gray wolves in Colorado, though that number can fluctuate due to migration out of and into the state.
In CPW's January update on gray wolf activity, the agency noted there was one female wolf exploring the southeast region of the state.
CPW said they expect wolves to expand their distribution throughout Colorado widely over time as their population grows.
Gray wolves are federally protected and a state-endangered species in Colorado. Harming, harassing, or killing a gray wolf in Colorado can bring a range of penalties including fines up to $100,000, jail time, and loss of hunting privileges.
CPW encourages anyone who believes they have seen a wolf to fill out the wolf sighting form on their website. More information about living and recreating in areas where wolves live can be found here.
News5 reached out to the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Teller County to get their perspective on the news, they shared the following statement
with us.
"Yes, we are aware of the remarkable solo female wolf reported in Teller County. This extraordinary wolf, whom we consider a luminary, and a female Maverick, has traveled great distances, possibly in search of a mate. She represents a crucial part of the future of our reintroduction program," said Darlene Kobobel CEO of the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. "To learn more about this incredible journey and our efforts, we invite you to visit our wolf center. Here, you can observe the majestic Gray wolf up close, gain insightful knowledge, and have your questions answered by our dedicated team. We are committed to helping you understand and appreciate this amazing animal."
Email Senior Reporter Brett Forrest at brett.forrest@koaa.com. Follow @brettforrestTVon X and Brett Forrest News on Facebook.
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