As more wolves are reintroduced, worries – and claims – rise By EPN Staff Colorado wildlife officials recently released 15 more wolves, marking the second wave of the state’s voter-approved wolf reintroduction program. The release occurred amid news of depredation claims exceeding $500,000, a failed petition by stockmen associations to delay additional wolf reintroduction and the hiring of range riders to protect livestock. A growing effort to strike the gray wolf from the endangered species also has gained momentum. Why it matters Voters narrowly passed Proposition 114 in 2020 to reintroduce wolves into the state in a bid to maintain a balanced ecosystem. The state is currently home to 29 wolves. Ten were released in December 2023 in Grand and Summit counties and 15 more in January 2025. Three of the original group died. Five pups have been born and two wolves have migrated from Wyoming. Two wolves have been illegally shot since the voter-mandated wolf reintroduction has been launched. Under federal law, the wolves are protected, and anyone convicted of killing a wolf faces fines up to $100,000, incarceration, and loss of hunting privileges. The bigger picture Ranchers have submitted $582,000 in compensation claims for wolf-related incidents that resulted in the deaths or injuries of cows, calves and sheep, or missing or underweight livestock. If approved, however, those claims would deplete the Wolf Depredation Compensation Fund, which received $175,000 in 2023-2024 and $350,000 the following year. Additional context The newest wolves came from a remote area in British Columbia where livestock is not kept. CPW believes that absent experience with livestock, these wolves will be more likely to seek out natural prey like deer and elk. To prepare for relocation, the wolves were captured, examined for health, collared, and vaccinated against parasites and diseases such as rabies, CPW said. One wolf died during the process. His age and underlying health were believed to be a factor. Even before wolf reintroduction, ranchers expected to lose a portion of their herds due to predators, disease, harsh weather, or even theft. In 2023, for example, Colorado sheep growers lost 37,000 lambs and sheep to these causes, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service data show. Losses from bears and mountain lions were compensated by CPW’s Game Cash Fund. Although most of the wolves released in 2024 stayed in Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Routt, and Summit counties, one female ranged throughout Chaffee, Fremont, Lake, and Park counties in January, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife agency found. The 15 wolves captured in Canada and released in January stayed in Garfield, Gunnison, Mesa, and Pitkin counties. The female wolf and her four pups that were recaptured and released are in Pitkin and Eagle counties. Weakened by a previous gunshot wound, her mate did not survive the capture and release. The pair and their offspring were captured in Grand County after the male was indicated in a series of livestock attacks.
