Federal officials say a car killed a Colorado wolf in May
The male wolf died in northwest Colorado this spring
Colorado Parks and Wildlife/Courtesy Photo
A vehicle collision was responsible for the death of one of Colorado’s reintroduced gray wolves, according to initial necropsy results from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The wolf — 2507, a male wolf relocated from British Columbia this year — died in northwest Colorado on Saturday, May 31. On Sept. 9, the federal agency reported that results show the animal died from “blunt force trauma sustained during a suspected vehicle collision.”
As gray wolves are currently listed as endangered in Colorado under the federal Endangered Species Act, all deaths are investigated by the Fish and Wildlife Service.
While Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported the death occurred in northwest Colorado, it will not release the county where the incident took place, according to a statement from Luke Perkins, a spokesperson for the state agency.
This male wolf is among the 10 Colorado wolves that have died since the reintroduction effort began in December 2023.
This number has included three deaths from natural causes, relating either to conflict with other wolves or mountain lions. The remainder have been related to human activity, including the vehicle collision in May, a death caused by a gunshot wound, one occurring after a legal coyote trap trapped the wolf, and three that died after traveling into Wyoming.
Additionally, in August, Parks and Wildlife, alongside partners with the Division of Wildlife Services, shot a wolf in Rio Blanco that they believed was chronically depredating sheep in the county. Officials found evidence that the animal was hit, but could not locate it following an extensive search. DNA collected identified the wolf as a fifth Copper Creek yearling that was not captured with its family in fall 2024.
Gray wolves are currently federally listed under the Endangered Species Act in Colorado. As such, when a wolf dies in the state, the necropsy and investigation into the death are performed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Initial results from necropies have taken anywhere from 1 month to 4 months to be released by the federal agency.
April 18, 2024: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed the death of a male wolf in Larimer County. Initial necropsy results from the federal agency, released in May, indicated that a mountain lion attack was likely the cause of death.
Sept. 3, 2024: Four days after being captured and placed in captivity, the Copper Creek pack’s adult male wolf died from injuries sustained in the wild. The wolf was reported to be underweight, have wounds on its right hind leg as well as an infection related to the injury.
In January, Fish and Wildlife released the initial necropsy results, reporting that a gunshot wound was responsible for the wolf’s “poor condition” and death. As it is illegal to kill or harm a wolf in Colorado, the death is still under investigation by the federal agency.
Sept. 9, 2024: A male wolf died in Grand County. In November, the Fish and Wildlife Service reported that the initial necropsy results suggest the death was likely due to a fight with another wolf. The report also showed that the wolf had an old, healed gunshot wound.
March 16, 2025: A male wolf was killed by the U.S. Wildlife Services in north-central Wyoming. The wolf was killed by the federal agency after it was tied to the death of five sheep.
April 9, 2025: A male wolf was killed in Wyoming, where the species is delisted from the federal Endangered Species Act and state law allows anyone to kill a wolf in the majority of Wyoming without a license.
April 20, 2025: A female gray wolf died in Rocky Mountain National Park from a mountain lion attack.
May 15, 2025: A female gray wolf died in northwest Colorado. due to “an apparent secondary trauma from a lawful foothold trap used for coyote control,” according to an investigation.
May 29, 2025: Parks and Wildlife killed one of the male yearlings in the Copper Creek Pack in Pitkin County. The lethal action was taken after the pack was connected to multiple livestock attacks in the area over Memorial Day weekend, meeting the agency’s definition for “chronic depredation.”
May 31, 2025: A male gray wolf died in northwest Colorado, likely from a collision with a car.
July 24, 2025: A female gray wolf died after traveling to Wyoming, the third to die in the neighboring state.
Aug. 16, 2025: A male uncollared wolf that was chronically depredating in Rio Blanco County was shot, but officials could not confirm if the animal died.
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