Wolf pack that attacked Colorado livestock to be relocated as reintroduction program stumbles

abcnews.go.com:

Wildlife agencies are trying to capture and relocate the first pack of wolves that formed under Colorado’s ambitious wolf reintroduction program

Wildlife agencies are trying to capture and relocate the first pack of wolves that formed under Colorado's ambitious wolf reintroduction program after the animals repeatedly attacked livestock, marking an early stumble in the voter-driven initiative.

The move comes only a week after state officials touted three pups born to the Copper Creek pack, which formed after 10 of the predators from Oregon were released in December over bitter opposition from livestock groups. The pack has at least two adults.

The bid to capture them goes against Colorado's wolf management plan that was adopted last year. It included guidance that relocation “has little technical merit” because it could create problems elsewhere if the animals continue attacking livestock. The plan calls for using non-lethal approaches, such as patrolling ranches with range riders and scaring away problem wolves, or killing them if necessary to stop ongoing attacks on livestock.

Officials did not say where the Copper Creek pack would be relocated, nor whether they would be released into the wild or kept in captivity.

Ranching groups had wanted the wolf pack killed. Wildlife advocates said more should have been done to keep them from killing livestock, such as using electric fencing that can better deters attacks.

In other parts of the U.S. where wolves are well-established — including in the Northern U.S. Rocky Mountains and around the Great Lakes — the predators are routinely killed by wildlife officials in response to livestock attacks. Wolves are prolific breeders so removing some animals doesn't have population-wide