DENVER (KDVR) — The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center has announced the name of a wolf pup found in Jackson County.
On Feb. 9, Colorado Parks and Wildlife collared a female wolf pup who is one of eight in a pack in the North Fork area. The Wolf and Wildlife Center decided to open up a naming contest on social media, leading to 40,000 people vying to name the new pup. One name was a clear winner.
Her name is Akawe, pronounced ‘aa-kah-way,’ meaning “first” in the Native American Ojibwe language.
The Ojibwe people see wolves as mentors and are heavily involved in wolf conservation across the United States.
Akawe is the first wolf pup to be collared out of the first wolf litter born in Colorado in over 80 years.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s official designation for the pup is #2202. CPW is not involved in the naming contest.