Wolf or coyote spotted in Castle Rock, Colorado? The answer is... neither.
Some neighbors in Castle Rock were startled this week when they spotted an animal that appeared to be a wolf. The picture was all over social media with so many people asking the same question: "Is it a wolf or a coyote?" Turns out the answer is... Neither.
"That's Cai!"
Charlotte Mattox said the animal causing all the commotion is her 3-year-old dog Cairo. Well, actually he's a wolfdog.
"He's for the most part, like a regular dog. He sleeps in our house right next to my bed," said Mattox.
She adopted him as a puppy. He had been rescued from a litter of intentionally-bred wolfdogs.
"We adopted him because he needed a home, but we really hold the breeders responsible. This is not something you should take lightly."
While he's "for the most part just like any other dog" Cairo still has wolf tendencies.
"He's very, very sweet. He gets a little grumpy during the winter," said Mattox. "From pack mentality, he wanted to find the rest of his pack and that's why he got out."
She said the great escape happened Monday while she and her husband were out of town. Despite fortifying their yard, Cairo somehow jumped over the fence and got out. It's Mattox's worst fear given his resemblance to a wolf.
"We were really terrified and worried for him."
Luckily, Mattox has a tracker on him and their dog sitter was able to get him back into the yard after a few hours.
"He followed her right home."
Mattox thought that was the end of the excitement until she logged onto Facebook and learned that sightings of Cairo were attracting wild speculation about whether a wolf was running around Castle Rock.
"I do understand that people have concerns with the release of wolves. I'd like them to understand that wolves are very timid creatures even though we've had him for 2-and-a-half years, he's still very people-shy."
The wolves that were recently reintroduced to Colorado were released on the Western Slope and as of late February, they were still confirmed to be there by GPS.
Mattox wants everyone to know Cairo is tethered safely at home now and the fencing in their yard has been built up, "I understand the fears, but he's just a dog and he wouldn't hurt anybody or another dog or a child or anybody like that. He wouldn't hurt anybody... he would run."
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, gray wolves are about twice the size of coyotes. Coyotes are shorter and sleeker, weighing between 15 and 45 pounds. CPW has a form the public can fill out to report suspected wolf sightings.
CPW released this statement: CPW receives hundreds of reports of wolf sightings per year. While we cannot validate every informal sighting, our staff carefully reviews all credible reports submitted through our Wolf Sighting Form.
CPW follows up when staff are available and we receive a credible report. The Wolf Sighting Form information will help provide context for our scientists over time, but CPW is also adjusting the way we report wolf sightings and movement as we are now monitoring 12 collared wolves in Colorado and the wolf reintroduction process has begun. CPW's new map will be updated each month with GPS collar data from the only wolves confirmed to be in Colorado at this time. Over time, as wolf populations become established, CPW will develop "territory" maps showing which areas each wolf pack is primarily inhabiting, similar to what other states, Tribes and federal agencies who manage wolves have done.
Wolf vs Coyote Identification Sign by CBS News Colorado on Scribd
