Wolves in Colorado
Proposition 114, now state statute 33-2-105.8, passed on November 3, 2020. It directed the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to develop a plan to introduce and manage gray wolves in Colorado west of the Continental Divide no later than December 31, 2023. Ten wolves were reintroduced to the state in December, 2023 as part of this plan.
Wolves in Colorado
Proposition 114, now state statute 33-2-105.8, passed on November 3, 2020. It directed the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to develop a plan to introduce and manage gray wolves in Colorado west of the Continental Divide no later than December 31, 2023. Ten wolves were reintroduced to the state in December, 2023 as part of this plan.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff capture gray wolves in Oregon
Wolf Reintroduction
Bringing Wolves Back to Colorado
Proposition 114, now state statute 33-2-105.8, passed on November 3, 2020. It directed the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to develop a plan to introduce and manage gray wolves in Colorado west of the Continental Divide no later than December 31, 2023.
Colorado's First Successful Wolf Release
Between December 18 - 21, 2023, Colorado Parks and Wildlife experts captured 10 gray wolves in Oregon and released them onto public land in Summit and Grand counties in a historic effort to create a permanent, self-sustaining wolf population and fulfill a voter approved initiative to re-establish gray wolves in Colorado.
Partnership with Oregon
A one-year agreement announced in October 2023 between Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife secured Oregon as the source for the first 10 wolves for the Colorado wolf reintroduction effort. The agreement was key to helping ensure CPW could meet its statutory mandate to begin releasing wolves in Colorado by December 31, 2023.
Find out moreCapturing the Wolves
The gray wolves were captured in Oregon, where Colorado Parks and Wildlife veterinarians and biologists evaluated them to determine if they were fit for relocation to Colorado. Criteria for release included the age, sex, health and body condition of each animal.
Releasing Wolves
Where will the Wolves Come From?
Colorado Parks and Wildlife plans to bring wolves from the northern Rockies, with assistance from other state wildlife management agencies.
Once captured, wolves will be treated and vaccinated as appropriate and determined by veterinarians, and will then be transported to Colorado where they will be taken to the release areas and the transport crates will be opened.
When will Releases Happen?
Releases will occur annually between December and mid-March. It is anticipated that wolf reintroduction efforts will require the transfer of about 30 to 50 wolves in total over a 3-5 year time frame. Colorado Parks and Wildlife will aim to capture 10-15 wild wolves annually from several different packs by trapping, darting, or net gunning in the fall and winter.
Where will Releases Happen?
Wolves will be released only west of the Continental Divide. Wolves released in Yellowstone and central Idaho in the mid- 1990’s moved substantial distances in the months immediately after release (average distance was approximately 50 miles ranging from approximately 22 to 140 miles from the release sites). Because of this, releases in Colorado will occur a minimum of 60 miles from the northern border with Wyoming, the western border with Utah, the southern border of New Mexico, as well as a similar buffer, as requested by the Tribes, of sovereign tribal lands in southwestern Colorado. This 60-mile buffer from neighboring states will make it more likely the released animals will remain in Colorado.
What About Mexican Wolves?
Mexican wolves will not be released in Colorado. The recovery area for Mexican wolves is limited to portions of Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recently changed the boundaries for the Mexican wolf experimental population area, extending it from Highway 40 (an east-west highway between Albuquerque and Flagstaff) south to the Mexican border.
Press releases and FAQs on the USFWS's recent actions regarding Mexican wolves are available at the provided links.
Resources
Moving from the Release Site
As wolf population numbers grow, some wolves will migrate to other areas of the state to establish new territories. Wolves are habitat generalists, meaning they do not have specific habitat requirements that determine where they can live. As long as prey is available, wolves can use a variety of areas. It is anticipated that wolves will expand widely over time, including to the Front Range of Colorado.
Wolves that naturally migrate in and out of Colorado would likely come from the Northern Rockies populations currently in the states of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.
Tracking and Monitoring Released Wolves
Colorado Parks and Wildlife will implement a thorough post-release monitoring program to assess and modify reintroduction protocols if necessary to ensure the highest probability of survival and site retention for released animals. All released wolves will be monitored using satellite GPS collars, which will inform managers on survival and dispersal, as well as future release protocols. As packs establish, effort will be made to collar at least one member of each pack with emphasis on breeding adults. The desired standard will be to have two collars in each pack; whether this is achievable for every pack in the state will be determined following reintroduction.
Funding the Restoration
The Legislature passed HB21-1243 in 2021, which requires the general assembly to appropriate money to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and authorizes the division's expenditure of money from one or more of the following funds:
- The general fund. $1.1 million was appropriated for fiscal year 21-22. HB22-1329 increased this amount to $2.1 million for fiscal year 22-23. The appropriation has continued at $2.1 million for fiscal year 23-24.
- The species conservation trust fund;
- The Colorado nongame conservation and wildlife restoration cash fund; or
- The wildlife cash fund; except for any money generated from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses or from associated federal grants. This money within the wildlife cash fund is not available for appropriation.
The division is also authorized to solicit, accept, and expend any grants, gifts, sponsorships, contributions, donations, and bequests, including federal funds, for the program.
First Annual Report
Colorado Gray Wolf Annual Report
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has published its first annual report that documents the status of gray wolves, wolf management, wolf monitoring, research related to wolves, and education and outreach in Colorado during the biological year April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024. Please note, events that have happened since March 31 will be included in next year’s annual report.
This report provides a great summary of both the work our agency is doing, but also how we're working with other agencies like the Colorado Department of Agriculture to assist agricultural producers in reducing wolf-livestock depredations. - CPW Director Jeff Davis
Help Support Wolves in Colorado
To help contribute to the planning and restoration of gray wolves in Colorado, please consider donating to the effort.
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Public Engagement
Get Involved in Wolf Restoration
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has created EngageCPW, a public engagement website to provide Coloradans with opportunities for public engagement on agency management topics, including the wolf reintroduction planning process. All comments submitted to the website require a name, email address, and state/county of residence.