DENVER — Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced the addition of three new wolf packs and new wolf pups as part of the state’s ongoing wolf restoration initiative.

The agency now recognizes the One Ear Pack in Jackson County, the King Mountain Pack in Routt County, and the Three Creeks Pack in Rio Blanco County. A pack is officially recognized once a breeding pair has reproduced. Although pups have been observed at some dens, CPW has not yet confirmed the total number of pups across all three new packs.

“Successful pack formation is critical not only to growing the wolf population, but also to establishing territories that allow us to monitor and better predict behavior,” CPW officials said in a statement. Defined territories also aid the agency’s efforts to work with ranchers and livestock producers to reduce conflict using non-lethal management tools.

A game camera recently captured video footage of three wolf pups from the King Mountain Pack, giving the public a rare glimpse into the success of the program.

Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife