CPW confirms gray wolf pups in One Ear Pack

Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed a minimum count of six gray wolf pups in the One Ear Pack in Jackson County.

CPW continues to monitor four recognized packs in northwest Colorado as well as other wolves in the state, said Jeff Davis, director of CPW. As a minimum count, the number confirmed on July 29 was not a guaranteed number of total pups due to the challenges in detecting them at this time of year.

Female gray wolves can give birth to an average litter of four to six pups. Pup survival in the wild varies widely by location and is difficult to study, but rough estimates place survival rates for the first year at between 50 to 60%. The average lifespan of a gray wolf in the Rocky Mountains is generally three to four years.

PHOTO: Colorado gray wolf pup (Colorado Parks and Wildlife)