DENVER, COLORADO – Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has confirmed the death of a male gray wolf, designated 2307-OR (seen in the image above during reintroduction – photo courtesy of CPW), one of the ten wolves reintroduced into the state in December 2023 under the voter-approved reintroduction program. The wolf’s GPS collar sent a “mortality signal” on September 9, and wildlife officials confirmed its death the following day.
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CPW Director Jeff Davis expressed regret at the loss but emphasized that such mortalities are expected in wildlife restoration efforts. “While this is sad news, these types of restoration efforts consider anticipated mortalities in our planning. A degree of wolf mortality, just like for any wildlife, is expected both during restoration efforts and on an ongoing basis,” Davis stated.
This marks the third death among the original ten wolves reintroduced as part of Colorado’s ongoing effort to restore the species. Another male wolf was euthanized on September 3 due to severe leg injuries sustained after being captured in foothold traps, part of a state operation to move the Copper Creek pack after it preyed on cattle and sheep in Grand County. The adult male, which had deep puncture wounds on its hind leg and had lost nearly 30% of its body weight, succumbed despite receiving antibiotics. The four remaining pack members—one adult female and four pups—are currently being held in a temporary enclosure and are being fed a diet of carnivore logs, roadkill carcasses, and other ungulates.
The first wolf to die from the reintroduction group was also a male, found in Larimer County in April. CPW determined that the wolf had been killed by a mountain lion, with puncture wounds to the skull providing evidence of the attack.
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While CPW has not yet disclosed the cause of death for wolf 2307-OR, the agency is in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as gray wolves remain federally protected under the Endangered Species Act. This protection means any mortality of the reintroduced wolves must be handled carefully to ensure proper compliance with federal law.
A Broader Challenge to Wolf Reintroduction
The wolf reintroduction project, approved by Colorado voters in 2020 through Proposition 114, aims to release 30 to 50 wolves over the course of three to five years. The first five wolves were released in December 2023 on state land north of Interstate 70 in Grand County, with another five following days later in Grand and Summit counties. CPW’s plan involves capturing wild wolves in other states and relocating 10 to 15 wolves per year to Colorado, primarily between December and March.
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This effort has encountered numerous challenges, from livestock predation to wolf mortalities, underscoring the complexities of restoring predators to their natural habitats. As urban voters primarily drove support for the reintroduction, the program has met with both enthusiasm and opposition from ranchers and residents in rural areas, where the reintroduced wolves pose a potential threat to livestock.
Despite the recent setbacks, CPW remains committed to continuing the wolf restoration effort, which it views as essential for maintaining ecological balance. The agency will continue monitoring the remaining wolves, while preparing for future reintroductions in the coming years.
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