Wildlife Health
The Wildlife Health Section is a group of veterinarians, researchers and technicians dedicated to diagnosing, monitoring and conducting research on diseases of free-ranging wildlife in Colorado. Our mission is to promote the health and welfare of Colorado’s wildlife; conduct applied research to facilitate management of free-ranging wildlife; to provide wildlife health, diagnostic, and capture support services to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Wildlife Health
The Wildlife Health Section is a group of veterinarians, researchers and technicians dedicated to diagnosing, monitoring and conducting research on diseases of free-ranging wildlife in Colorado. Our mission is to promote the health and welfare of Colorado’s wildlife; conduct applied research to facilitate management of free-ranging wildlife; to provide wildlife health, diagnostic, and capture support services to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
What We Do
Working in concert with agency biologists and managers, we focus our work on issues that affect the long-term health and viability of wildlife populations. Additionally, we develop tools and methodologies to facilitate improved research and safe and humane wildlife capture, handling, and monitoring.
Foothills Wildlife Research Facility
Wildlife Health staff maintain a captive wildlife research facility where several native Colorado species are housed for research and teaching purposes. The work conducted with the animals housed at this facility benefits free-ranging populations across the state and beyond.
CPW’s Wildlife Research Facility was established in the 1960s to study the feeding habits and nutritional needs of mule deer. Since then, research has expanded to include projects in wildlife nutrition, behavior, disease, capture drugs, vaccine efficacy and the development of new technologies (collars, transmitters, etc.). The information gained from these studies directly benefits the health and welfare of free-ranging wildlife in Colorado. CPW’s Wildlife Health Laboratory is responsible for disease diagnostics and wildlife mortality investigations on a statewide level, including processing samples for statewide chronic wasting disease surveillance. Both facilities support hands-on training for CPW’s field staff and provide teaching opportunities to young professionals such as graduate students and veterinary students.
The proposed location of the facility in Wellington
New Proposed Facility Location
The current property is owned by CSU and leased to CPW. In 2033, the property lease will end. CPW is proposing to relocate their wildlife health lab and research facility to the south portion of the CPW Schware unit on E County Rd 60, 1.3 miles east of Interstate 25, comprising approximately 78 acres.
This property is part of the Wellington State Wildlife Area Schware Unit. The Schware Unit currently has limited public access and is used primarily for small game hunting. The proposed facility will not change public access to the northern portion of the unit at this time; however, the southern portion would no longer be open to the public.
Budget and Funding
The current estimated cost of this project is approximately $40 million. This estimate may be adjusted as the project is designed and the project gets closer to construction. Funding for this project will be requested through CPW’s Large Capital Request process, as well as seeking funding from external sources.
Upcoming Public Engagement Meeting
We welcome questions and feedback from the local community and neighbors as we begin the rezoning and permitting process with Larimer County.
Sep
1
CPW Wildlife Health Lab and Research Facility Public Meeting
Sep 1, 2026 · 6:00pm - Sep 1, 2026 · 8:00pm
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is planning the relocation of the Foothills Wildlife Research Facility (FWRF) and Wildlife...
Sep
1
CPW Wildlife Health Lab and Research Facility Public Meeting
Sep 1, 2026 · 6:00pm - Sep 1, 2026 · 8:00pm
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is planning the relocation of the Foothills Wildlife Research Facility (FWRF) and Wildlife...
Sep
1
CPW Wildlife Health Lab and Research Facility Public Meeting
Sep 1, 2026 · 6:00pm - Sep 1, 2026 · 8:00pm
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is planning the relocation of the Foothills Wildlife Research Facility (FWRF) and Wildlife...
Sep
1
CPW Wildlife Health Lab and Research Facility Public Meeting
Sep 1, 2026 · 6:00pm - Sep 1, 2026 · 8:00pm
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is planning the relocation of the Foothills Wildlife Research Facility (FWRF) and Wildlife...
CPW’s Wildlife Research Facility and Wildlife Health Lab are unique and invaluable resources to the state of Colorado. The Research Facility houses just under 50 captive animals native to Colorado, allowing CPW staff to conduct research on issues affecting wildlife across the state. The Lab supports statewide disease investigations and surveillance, including the processing of chronic wasting disease samples.
Mainly elk and bighorn sheep, with the capability of housing a variety of other animals, including omnivores, carnivores, and birds.
CPW currently has no plans to house wolves at this facility.
Yes. Animal care standards at the research facility are followed as outlined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Welfare Act. The USDA inspects the facility at least once per year.
Studies to be conducted at the research facility are reviewed by CPW’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. This group ensures the humane care and use of live vertebrates (species with a backbone) in research, teaching and testing activities. The committee inspects the facility every 6 months.
Animal residents are either born at the facility or acquired under certain circumstances (e.g., young animals that are deemed too tame to be released in the wild due to public safety risk) for specific research or training goals. Facility staff work with animals on a regular basis to increase their comfort level in captivity; therefore, animals are not suitable for release.
Animal carcasses submitted to our wildlife health lab for necropsy are either incinerated on site or properly disposed of at the Larimer County landfill.
No, this facility will not be open to the public. Guided tours of the facility may be conducted for approved groups and organizations.
The new location of the Research Facility and Wildlife Health Laboratory will impact public access to the south portion of the Schware Unit; however, at this time, we do not have any plans to alter or develop the north portion of the Schware Unit, which will remain open to the public. Neighboring properties will likely be able to view parts of the facility and some animals; otherwise, daily operation of the facility is not anticipated to produce excessive noise, light or odor.
Wildlife Health staff with a moose
Disease Research
The Wildlife Health Program conducts research on free-ranging and captive wildlife in field-based settings. Current research areas of interest include plague in prairie dogs, white-nose syndrome in bats, respiratory disease in bighorn sheep, and chronic wasting disease in deer, elk, and moose. General goals of our research are to understand the impacts of disease on wildlife populations and to develop tools and techniques to manage and monitor diseases in wildlife and to support wildlife management.
Acidosis
Acidosis is a severe and often fatal disease that affects deer, elk, bighorn sheep, moose and pronghorn. It occurs when these animals eat an excessive amount of high-carbohydrate food, which causes dangerous levels of acid to accumulate in their stomachs.
Chronic Wasting Disease
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease caused by one or more strains of prions (abnormally shaped proteins) found in deer, elk and moose. The disease results in the early death of an infected animal and, over time, decreases survival rates of infected herds.
Deer Fibromas
Deer fibromas are wart-like growths of deer skin that are caused by the deer papillomavirus.
Plague
Plague is a bacterial disease that most commonly affects prairie dogs. The disease is spread by flea bites, contact with infected fluids or dead animals, and by breathing in bacterial particles that are coughed or sneezed by an infected animal.
White Nose Syndrome in Bats
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is the name of a disease caused by a fungus (known as ‘Pd’) that results in a white, fuzzy fungus that grows on the face, ears, and wing tissue of infected bats.
Video: "Prairie Dog Burrow Timelapse" - CPW
SPOTLIGHT
Featured Project
This is the story of how our Avian Research and Wildlife Health Programs teamed up with partners to study and test a new plague vaccine and improve habitat for endangered black-footed ferrets and other wildlife. Avian Researchers have documented the benefits of maintaining active prairie dog colonies for many species such as ferruginous hawks, golden eagles, various grassland songbirds, coyotes, and badgers.
Moose in a forest
Diagnostic Services
Wildlife Health staff conduct necropsies on wildlife from across the state to monitor health concerns. The Wildlife Health Lab processes samples collected from free-ranging animals to determine presence of disease, including statewide Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance in deer, elk, and moose.
Meet the Team
Peach Van Wick
- State Wildlife Veterinarian/Wildlife Health Program Leader
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Karen Griffin
- Molecular Diagnostics Technologist
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Maicie Lingwall
- Wildlife Health Facilities Manager
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Jane Riner
- Field Wildlife Veterinarian
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Kaytlin Bohr
- Field Capture Technician
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Daniel Tripp
- Wildlife Disease Researcher
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Alexandria Argue
- Wildlife Pathologist
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Jack Grider
- Wildlife Disease Researcher
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Emily Onderbeke
- Necropsy Technician
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Contact for Wildlife Health Concerns
- Report any wildlife health concerns directly to area/regional offices.
- If you're not sure your nearest CPW Office, find phone numbers on the Contact Us page, https://cpw.state.co.us/contact-us
Wildlife Health Research
Research Library
The Research Library was created in the late 1960s to provide support primarily to the wildlife research sections. The Research Library evolved to serve the broader information management needs of CPW staff. Library collections are focused on wildlife ecology and associated ecological information and CPW public historical records such as Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting agendas and minutes.