In February 2009 I wrote excitedly that one of Yellowstone’s wolves had, according to her tracking collar, made her way through five states and finally into Colorado. I began dreaming of someday seeing wolves reestablished in Rocky Mountain National Park. Of course, I should have known better.
Today I learned the wandering wolf was found dead in April 2009, just two months after my post, when her collar emitted a mortality signal. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has completed its toxicology study and reports that she was poisoned with Compound 1080, a substance banned in Colorado and only legal elsewhere under strict regulation. Its presence in the environment is dangerous to humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Because they’ve been unable to pinpoint the source of the poison, wildlife officials are asking the public’s help in finding anyone using Compound 1080.
How awful!
This may not have been as deliberate and intentional as a shooting, but in a way it’s worse since poison doesn’t discriminate. I’m bummed about losing our one wolf to anything other than natural causes.
That’s terrible! It’s always sad when people don’t think before doing this stuff. We had a neighbor inadvertently kill our cats with rat poison. It’s not quite the same as the only wolf in Colorado, though!
Oh, that’s so sad about your kitties. Poison is so dangerous to use; there’s just no telling what creature — or child — might find it.