DENVER – Colorado has secured another 15 gray wolves for reintroduction into the Western Slope from tribal lands in northeastern Washington, but the wolves won't set foot in the state until next winter.
Officials with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced Friday that the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation agreed to capture and send up to 15 wolves to aid in Colorado’s Wolf Restoration and Management Plan. The wolves will be captured and moved between December 2024 and March 2025.
“We are grateful to the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation for working with our agency on this critical next step in reintroducing gray wolves in the state,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “This agreement helps CPW to continue to meet our unanimously adopted Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan goal of translocating 10-15 gray wolves per capture season for a total of 30-50 wolves.”
In a news release, CPW said tribal representatives will provide guidance to CPW on target packs, making sure to avoid packs that have been known to injure or kill domestic animals or cattle.
"The Colville Tribes is very pleased to partner with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to restore the wolf population in Colorado,” said Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Jarred-Michael Erickson. “The Colville people strongly believe in preserving our environment, including its fish and animals. We are thrilled that our restoration efforts on our own lands have progressed far enough that we can share some of these magnificent creatures with the citizens of Colorado."
So far, Colorado has reintroduced 10 gray wolves into Summit and Grand counties from the state of Oregon. No additional wolves will be captured this season, which runs until mid-March 2024, wildlife officials said Friday.
Though CPW could release up to five more wolves this capture season, officials said they will instead assess the releases from last month and let CPW staff adjust to any increased workload of having wolves on the ground in Colorado.
“After an incredibly successful first release of wolves from Oregon last month, our focus will be on refining our internal processes, continuing the work we’re already doing to bolster our staff expertise and honing our notification structure so the public is well informed regarding release efforts, while also balancing the need for the safety and security of staff and gray wolves,” Davis said.
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Over a period of three to five years, CPW will transfer 30 to 50 wolves to Colorado, aiming for 10 to 15 wolves from multiple packs annually.
After this point, the active reintroduction efforts will stop and CPW will focus solely on monitoring to see if the population is self-sustaining.
The reintroduction will be considered successful if the survival rate is high, the wolves stay in Colorado, packs are formed and if wolves born in Colorado survive to also reproduce. If the survival rate is less than 70%, a protocol review would be initiated, the plan reads.
For those who want to help fund a preventive measure program for ranchers in the impacted areas, a wolf license plate will be available starting in January.
The reintroduction will be considered successful if the survival rate is high, the wolves stay in Colorado, packs are formed and if wolves born in Colorado survive to also reproduce. If the survival rate is less than 70%, a protocol review would be initiated, the plan reads.
For those who want to help fund a preventive measure program for ranchers in the impacted areas, a wolf license plate will be available starting in January.
Like many predators, wolves tend to avoid people and are very unlikely to approach a person.
The brochure, titled "Living with Wolves," provides detailed actions on what to do if a wolf responds to a person's actions, noting that each situation and animal is unique.
The brochure encourages people to make noise, stay aware of their surroundings, hike with bear spray and keep dogs leashed or close by while in wolf country. It includes a breakdown of wolf tracks compared to large dog and coyote tracks.
CPW also has a Wolf Educational Resources page, where you can find videos on wolf biology and the reintroduction planning process.
The department encourages the public to report any wolf sightings, especially with photos or videos. To submit one, visit CPW.info/wolf-sighting.
