Colorado Pauses Gray Wolf Reintroductions, Citing Federal Hurdles and Loss of Suppliers

For the first time in three years, the state of Colorado will not be putting more paws on the ground through its voted-mandated and slightly scarred wolf reintroduction program. That’s right, state wildlife officials announced on Wednesday of this week that it was decided that no additional wolves will be released this winter, marking the first major pause in the program since its inception. The decision stems from a combination of federal interventions, difficulties in sourcing wolves from other regions, and ongoing challenges like high mortality rates among the reintroduced animals. While the program has achieved some milestones, including confirmed reproduction in multiple packs, the halt raises questions about its long-term viability and the goal of establishing a self-sustaining population.

“During this intermediate time, CPW will continue to meet with producers and other stakeholders, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to explore how to maximize the restoration effort and achieve our plan of establishing a self-sustaining gray wolf population in Colorado,” said CPW Acting Director Laura Clellan. “Our team has invested in a significant conflict minimization program, and we look forward to exploring how we continue to improve this program with producers to protect both livestock and wolves.”

The reintroduction program traces its roots to Proposition 114, which was narrowly approved by Colorado voters back in November 2020. The measure mandated the restoration of gray wolves to the state to promote ecological balance, tasking Colorado Parks and Wildlife with releasing 30 to 50 wolves over a period of three to five years. Releases began in December 2023, with an initial batch of 10 wolves sourced from the northern Rocky Mountains states of Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Oregon. In January of last year, CPW added 15 more from British Columbia, bringing the total to 25. These wolves were fitted with GPS collars for monitoring and released primarily in Grand and Summit counties, though some have dispersed to areas like Jackson, Saguache, and Conejos counties.

Despite success in importing numbers, the program has faced substantial setbacks. Of the 25 wolves released, 11 have died, representing nearly half the population. The most recent mortality involved a female wolf from British Columbia (2504), who was found dead in northwest Colorado earlier this week. Causes of death have varied, but the high rate has drawn scrutiny, with some sources reporting up to 12 or 13 fatalities in total, though official counts hover around 11. Despite these losses, there are signs of progress with CPW-confirmed reproduction in four known packs, contributing to natural recruitment. 

"When populations are small, the contributions of each individual is especially significant," said CPW wolf program manager Eric Odell. "If mortality remains high, as observed in 2025, the risk of failing to achieve a self-sustaining wolf population in Colorado increases."

The current pause is largely attributed to sourcing issues exacerbated by federal oversight. In October, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under Director Brian Nesvik, issued a cease-and-desist order blocking CPW's plans to import another 15 wolves from British Columbia. The agency ruled that wolves must be sourced exclusively from the northern Rocky Mountains population to comply with federal agreements and the Endangered Species Act. This came after CPW had already secured a $400,000 deal with Canadian officials, which USFWS had initially approved. Further complicating matters, states like Washington denied requests for wolves in November, citing their own population declines and the poor survival rates in Colorado. In late December, USFWS escalated pressure by threatening to terminate the program unless CPW submitted a detailed management report within 30 days.

Looking ahead, CPW plans to submit the required report to USFWS and explore options for releases in the 2026-2027 winter season. The agency has stated that it will continue monitoring the existing population, addressing rancher concerns through stakeholder meetings, and relying on natural reproduction to bolster numbers. 

“This is a complicated effort and I want to encourage all stakeholders to continue to work together as we move toward the goal of creating a self-sustaining population of wolves in the state, while at the same time minimizing conflict with livestock,” said Clellan.