Colorado’s Reintroduced Wolves Expand Their Territory
As spring nears its end, the movement patterns of Colorado’s collared gray wolves have shown notable changes. According to the latest activity map released by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), which reflects wolf movements from April 22 to May 27, these majestic animals have ventured across a broad section of the Western Slope. This month’s map indicates a more compact activity concentration in the northwestern regions compared to April.
Updated Activity Patterns
The recent mapping illustrates increased wolf activity in various watersheds, notably in the eastern sections of Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Garfield counties. Additionally, there are indications of movement in Routt, Jackson, Eagle, Grand, Pitkin, Summit, Gilpin, Clear Creek, and Lake counties. Unlike the previous month, there is sustained activity in the western parts of Larimer and Boulder counties, where brief movement was originally reported in April.
Travis Ducan, a public information officer with Parks and Wildlife, emphasized that while these watersheds have been under observation, the presence of wolves in these areas does not imply high human-density interactions. He stated, “As always, highlighted watersheds do not mean that wolves were or are currently in high human-density areas.”
Crossing Borders and Wildlife Management
In Larimer County and regions like Routt and Moffat, wolves are drawing closer to the Colorado-Wyoming state line. Unfortunately, two wolves have lost their lives this year after entering Wyoming, where protective measures under the Endangered Species Act are absent, and hunting is permissible in many areas.
Beyond the northern expanses, the new map also reveals wolf travel into southern watersheds, including those in San Miguel, San Juan, La Plata, Archuleta, Mineral, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties. Some of these areas overlap with tribal lands and the Brunot Treaty zone, where CPW collaborates with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe for monitoring and management tasks.
Notable Discoveries and Wolf Impacts
The May map’s visual representation showcases a circular pattern around the southwestern counties, which Ducan suggests may be influenced by the natural terrain of Colorado, impacting how wolves travel across the landscape. In April, the movement to the south was primarily traced to a single female wolf, who has trekked over 1,700 miles since her release in January—a distance akin to traveling from Denver to Washington, D.C.
Despite inquiries on whether this southern activity remains linked to the same wolf, Duncan clarified that the agency has no additional insights to provide on individual movements at this time. Furthermore, CPW confirmed the first instance of wolf-related predation involving a calf in Gunnison County, marking a shift as this is the first report in the southwest, with prior incidents concentrated in the north.
Monitoring and Future Actions
The agency is currently investigating several potential depredation reports in Pitkin County, attributed to the Copper Creek pack. Ranchers from the Roaring Fork and Crystal River valleys reported wolf incidents over the Memorial Day weekend. This pack includes five wolves, including an adult female and four pups, which were released back into the wild in January following their initial capture due to livestock attacks in Grand County.
In light of increased wolf-human interactions, Parks and Wildlife has established criteria defining “chronic depredation.” Any wolf or group connected to three or more confirmed incidents requiring evidence within a single month fits this chronic definition. Before any lethal measures are taken, multiple factors are meticulously considered.
| County | Wolf Activity |
|---|---|
| Moffat | Active |
| Rio Blanco | Active |
| Garfield | Active |
| Larimer | Some Activity |
| Boulder | Some Activity |
| Gunnison | First Wolf Depredation Report |
As of early May, CPW has equipped 24 wolves with GPS collars to track their movements, but the agency reported a recent loss—a female collared wolf died in northwest Colorado, marking the fourth wolf fatality this year, with the cause still under investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Additionally, four pairs of wolves identified may potentially be denning and raising their young, hinting at ongoing recovery efforts in the region.
