GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — The U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service is conducting DNA tests on an animal shot by a
coyote hunter near Kremmling to determine if the animal is a gray wolf.
The
hunter thought the animal, which was shot near Woldord Mountain
Reservoir, was a coyote, the Glenwood Springs Post Independent reports.
After shooting the animal he realized it looked like a wolf and turned
it over to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Colorado Parks and
Wildlife officials initially inspected the animal visually, which showed
it was a wild, male grey wolf weighing about 90 pounds. DNA testing
will take a couple of weeks. It is possible the animal is a wolf-dog
hybrid, a dog or a coyote.
"It's too early to speculate" whether
the animal is a wolf, said Steve Segin, a public affairs officer with
the Fish and Wildlife Service. "Until the DNA comes back, we're just not
going to know."
Grey wolves are protected under the Endangered
Species Act. Colorado is not home to any officially recognized packs,
but they are capable of traveling long distances and have been confirmed
as visiting the state. Young males sometimes are rejected by a pack, so
they head out on their own.
"Obviously, killing an endangered
species is illegal," Segin said. "What's important is the hunter did the
right thing and contacted Parks and Wildlife."
