WildEarth Guardians

Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Montana Wolf Discovered Dead in Colorado

Investigation Underway on Demise of Now Famous Female Wanderer
Contact: WildEarth Guardians

DENVER - Officials with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Colorado Division of Wildlife this week announced that they have retrieved the body of a wolf in northwestern Colorado that had wandered into the state earlier in the year from Montana. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the wolf appeared to “stop moving” at the end of March, based on satellite tracking data retrieved from the wolf research collar. The wolf, known simply as 341F, wandered into northern Colorado after a journey of nearly 1,000 miles from its origin in Montana. Click here for background: http://bit.ly/Vw4NC

“We are deeply saddened by the death of this brave female wolf,” said Rob Edward of WildEarth Guardians. “Colorado needs more enterprising wolves like her.” Edward underscored the fact that Colorado is the last, best place for wolves, but stressed that reintroduction will be necessary to successfully establish a Colorado population.

Suzanne Asha Stone, Northern Rockies Representative for Defenders of Wildlife, who has worked for more than two decades on wolf recovery issues in the Northern Rocky Mountains, said, “When we helped to restore wolves to Yellowstone and central Idaho in 1995, we hoped it would someday lead to the return of wolves in Colorado,” said Stone. “We hope that this wasn’t the result of foul play but will do what we can to support the state’s investigation including offering a reward for information leading to conviction if this was an illegal killing of an endangered species.”

Gary Wockner, a former member of the Colorado Wolf Working Group, said, “This adventurous wolf sparked Colorado’s imagination. She made us think about what Colorado is missing without its wolves.” Wockner said that his experience in developing a management plan for wolves in Colorado showed him that there’s willingness for disparate interests to come together over the wolf issue. “What we need now is a plan to actually put wolves back on the ground in Colorado,” said Wockner.

Anyone with information regarding the death of this wolf is urged to call the Colorado Division of Wildlife at 1-877-COLO-OGT or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 970-257-0795.