Officials in Colorado are scratching their heads after dozens of cattle have been slaughtered by an unknown creature in recent weeks that left no trace.
More than three dozen cows have been found dead near Meeker, Colorado in the past two months, according to local media.
The first batch of 18 cows was found dead in October and officials said only five of the animals looked like they had been killed by wolves.
“Missing tails, bite marks on the hocks and flanks and hamstrings,” said Travis Black, Northwest regional director for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
In general, the theory seems unlikely to the CWP official, who says the entire situation remains a mystery as they have found no tracks or evidence of the animals in the area.
More than three dozen cows near Meeker, Colorado were recently found dead
Locals have since set traps to track down the culprit, but efforts have been unsuccessful.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials have used everything from trail cameras to aerial flights to try to figure out what’s causing the deaths.
Black told Steamboat Pilot & Today that he and his team are lost when it comes to the phenomenon.
“It’s frustrating to find out exactly what happened in this incident,” Black said.
The director also said that while they don’t believe wolves were behind the deaths, they can’t completely rule them out either.
“We have no evidence of wolves in this area. Doesn’t mean they’re not there,’ Black said.
Wolves have been suggested as a possible cause of death, but only five of the cows appeared to have wounds related to a wolf attack, according to an official
Another problem with the wolf argument is that the way the cows were found doesn’t match the typical behaviors of the predators.
“What I think we’re missing is the typical feeding behavior that we would see…usually wolves would come back and feed on a carcass,” Black said.
Meeker, where the cattle were found dead, is also a “considerable distance” from the area home to Colorado’s only confirmed wolf pack.
If the cows had been killed by wolves, a new pack would have had to move in without their knowledge, officials say.
It’s also a bit early in the season for other packs touring across the state, according to Steamboat Pilot & Today.
Officials say they don’t believe it’s wolves killing the animals for a number of reasons, including the fact that the nearest known pack is a “considerable distance” away and other traveling packs would be well ahead of the seasonal schedule
Officials have also looked at diseases that could be causing the problem but have been unable to pinpoint the cause of death.
“We’re scratching our heads a bit,” Black said.
Some have suggested Clostridium bacteria could be behind the deaths, but testing was found inconclusive and lesions typically indicative of infection were absent.
According to Mississippi State University, the bacterium “produces very potent exotoxins (poisons) that are harmful to animals.” If the toxins enter the bloodstream, they can kill the animal.
A proposed theory is that the animals may have been killed by a bacterium, but tests were inconclusive, according to Travis Black
Other reports suggest some nearby residents have heard howling in recent years, but Black said these claims have never been confirmed.
He also said the howling could be from coyotes. According to a study on coyote predation of livestock, the animals “rarely attack healthy adult cows or yearlings.”
Another possible solution: dogs used to protect the cattle attacked them.
However, Black refuted that claim by saying that dogs aren’t usually outside at this time of year.
The situation remains a mystery to local officials, who have also set up cameras and aerial surveillance to find out what is killing the cows
Colorado is currently trying to reintroduce wolves into their natural habitat to revitalize the state’s landscape.
The decision to reintroduce the species has been hotly debated, according to Steamboat Pilot & Today, with some farmers raising concerns about the safety of their livestock.
Despite their concerns, environmentalists have said the animal’s presence is vital for the state’s natural ecosystem to thrive.
A plan to reintroduce more wolves to Colorado will be presented to a Colorado Parks and Wildlife commission in December.