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.
Colorado Gray Wolf Annual Report: April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024
The restoration of wolves is a multi-year effort, intending to release 10-15 wolves per year for 3 – 5 years. Releases will occur in locations west of the Continental Divide, with a 60-mile buffer from Tribal lands to the south and the northern and western borders of the state. The biological year 2023-2024 was the first year of reintroductions of wolves to Colorado. Upon completing this 3- to 5-year effort, CPW will continue to monitor the wolf population and supplement the restoration effort with additional releases if necessary.
The report covers how the restoration of wolves in 2023-2024 was conducted in three interrelated phases: capture, translocation, and release. It outlines how CPW monitors the wolves and the agency’s efforts in mitigating wolf-livestock conflict. General information on the biological and ecological research topics that CPW is studying are also outlined.
“A successful reintroduction effort requires collaboration,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “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.”
For additional information on how to stay informed about wolves in Colorado, visit cpw.state.co.us and sign up for our Gray Wolf Reintroduction eNews.
