Colorado gray wolves venture to southernmost point since their reintroduction

Colorado gray wolves have ventured the farthest south yet since their reintroduction to the Centennial state almost a year ago, parks officials announced this weekend.

GPS signals from a collared gray wolf indicated that the animal was south of Interstate 70, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). This major highway connects the Denver and Grand Junction metropolitan areas by crossing the Rocky Mountains, before continuing into Utah.

Although the CPW does not usually publish location information about the wolves outside of monthly map releases, the agency said it offered this update due to the unique circumstances.

"This kind of wildlife activity was anticipated," park officials said in a statement.

Gray wolves largely disappeared from Colorado in the 1940s and were thereafter considered an “extirpated species” — an animal that no longer persists in its historical habitat but resides elsewhere, per the CPW.

An initial 10 wolves were reintroduced last December after being captured in Oregon, following a controversial ballot initiative that had received voter approval in the 2020 elections.

Proposition 114, now State Statute 33-2-105.8, earned 50.91 percent of voter support, with a margin of only 56,986 individual votes.

CPW approved its Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan in May 2023, anticipating a transfer of about 30 to 50 wolves over a three- to five-year time frame.

Ahead of the initial releases last year, ranching groups filed a complaint in a federal district court — requesting a pause in plans they felt would be harmful to both livestock and the economy. But the judge rejected their motion and ultimately enabled the release to go forward.

The first 10 wolves were then released in two waves — an initial five on Dec. 18, 2023, and the next five a few days later.

Three of the original 10 animals have died thus far, although one of those had already mated with another wolf and produced five pups, according to the Colorado Sun.

Parks officials are planning for a second wave of wolf releases in the coming months — capturing up to 15 wolves in British Columbia and translocating them to Colorado between December and March.

Following the GPS spotting of the collared gray wolf south of Interstate 70, the CPW issued several reminders to members of the public, noting first and foremost that "wolves need three things: food, connectivity with large wild landscapes, and space from/tolerance from humans."

"Translocated wolves are currently exploring the Colorado landscape and as wolf population numbers grow, some wolves will migrate to establish new territories," the agency said in a statement.

"Wolves are habitat generalists, meaning they can thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and habitats," the statement continued. "As long as prey is available, wolves can use a variety of areas. It is anticipated that wolves will expand widely over time."