Colorado's gray wolf reintroduction
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus), are protected in 48 states and Mexico, with the exception of the Northern Rocky Mountain population. The Northern Rocky Mountain population includes wolves in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, and a small area in Utah. This population is considered self sustaining and stable, having exceeded population goals in 2002.
Resources
Educational Opportunities
- Wolf Info and Resources
- Wolf-livestock Conflict Minimization Program
- Living with Wolves brochure
- Coyote or Gray Wolf: How to spot the Differences (English)
- Coyote or Gray Wolf: How to spot the Differences (Spanish)
Funding Opportunities for Non-lethal Conflict
- US Department of Agriculture Regional Conservation Partnership Program
- Colorado Department of Agriculture Non-lethal Wolf Conflict Reduction Grant Program
- CPW and CDA prepare for 2025 gray wolf releases with improved Livestock Conflict Minimization Program Press Release
Depredation Resources
2025 Legislative Bill
- Senate Bill 38- This bill blocks rancher's names, phone number and email, addresses, and business information from being released to the public when they file claims to the state for depredation. Note: the Bill states: "PERSONAL INFORMATION" DOES NOT INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT NONLETHAL PREDATOR-LIVESTOCK CONFLICT MINIMIZATION MEASURES USED BY OR RECOMMENDED TO A PERSON, OR A SUMMARY OR AGGREGATED DATA RELATED TO SUCH INFORMATION, SO LONG AS THE INFORMATION OR SUMMARY OR AGGREGATED DATA DOES NOT REVEAL THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON OR THE PERSON'S BUSINESS".
Gray wolf reintroduction FAQ
In 2020, Proposition 114, a citizen initiated ballot measure, now Colorado statute 33-2-105.8, passed by a margin of 51%. The measure required the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to create a plan to reintroduce gray wolves west of the Continental Divide by the end of 2023. In December 2023, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) released ten wolves from Oregon onto public lands in Summit and Grand counties.
Concurrent with the CPW planning process, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) conducted an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the State of Colorado's request to designate the gray wolf as an experimental population under Section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This designation would support the state's efforts to reintroduce and manage the species.
Under the 10(j) Rule, reintroduced wolves in the State of Colorado were identified as a non-essential experimental population. This designation allows increased management, including lethal take of the gray wolf, however, management is still limited while the species is listed on the state or federal endangered list.
The State anticipates transfer of between 30-50 wolves over a 3 to 5 year time frame. All wolves released will be equipped with a GPS satellite collar. These collars submit signals to CPW. CPW's Collared Gray Wolf Activity Map will help inform where wolves have been in the past month. This map reports location of wolves utilizing watersheds, rather than exact locations.
CPW's Management Plan "authorizes downlisting of wolves from State Endangered (Phase 1) to State Threatened (Phase 2) when CPW biologists document a minimum wintertime count of 50 wolves anywhere in the state for four successive years. It authorizes delisting from the State Threatened and Endangered Species list and reclassification as nongame wildlife (Phase 3) when a minimum count of at least 150 wolves anywhere in Colorado is observed for 2 successive years, or a minimum count of at least 200 wolves anywhere in Colorado is observed, with no temporal requirement."
Actions taken by the Mesa County Commissioners regarding wolf reintroduction
Mesa County has consistently opposed the reintroduction of gray wolves in Colorado, citing significant concerns about the impacts on livestock, public safety, and existing wildlife populations. Since 2018, Mesa County Commissioners have taken a firm stance against active wolf relocation, passing resolutions, submitting letters, and engaging with state and federal agencies. They have sought Cooperating Agency status with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to participate in the environmental review process and provided detailed feedback on Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s Wolf Restoration and Management Plan. Additionally, the Commissioners have called for a suspension of further wolf releases until improvements are made to address issues such as depredations, GPS collar malfunctions, and the inadequacy of compensation programs. Through these efforts, Mesa County has emphasized the need for better management strategies and local stakeholder involvement to mitigate the potential economic and environmental impacts of wolf reintroduction.
- Memorandum of Understanding with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for Cooperating Agency status during development of Environmental Impact Statement for the establishment of an experimental population of Northern Gray Wolves in Colorado (10J Rule).
- May 2018: Passed a resolution opposing the active relocation of wolves into Colorado. The Commissioners raised concerns about threats to livestock, human safety, and existing wildlife populations.
- June 2022: Submitted a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requesting Cooperating Agency status for the environmental review process related to gray wolf reintroduction.
- 2023: Provided comments on the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan. Their letter highlighted local concerns and suggested improvements to the draft plan following the passage of Ballot Initiative 114 in 2020.
- May 2024: Requested that Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) suspend further wolf releases until management and compensation processes were improved. The request was driven by challenges such as depredations, GPS collar issues, and difficulties with the Wolf Depredation Compensation Fund.