The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday it will conduct an investigation after a forensics analysis confirmed that an animal killed in April near Kremmling was a gray wolf.
The gray wolf is protected by both the federal government and the state of Colorado as an endangered species. The animal was shot on April 29 by a legal coyote hunter, who immediately notified Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which then notified the service.
The analysis, conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Ore., confirmed that the animal was a wolf.
The Fish and Wildlife Service said they routinely investigate incidents affecting endangered species and will conduct this investigation with the assistance of Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
