Colorado Parks and Wildlife says GPS locations of male, female gray wolves indicate possible breeding activity

Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed it believes a male and female gray wolf have been denning in the state and show indications for expected reproduction. This information was shared in a letter to the Middle Park Stockgrowers Board.

The letter was an overall response to Stockgrowers due to the reaction to recent wolf depredations that led to the deaths of ranchers '  cattle livestock in the state. This comes after Stockgrowers submitted a request to CPW to lethally remove wolves found to be responsible.

According to the letter, the male gray wolf denning with the female is believed to be the culprit in recent depredations, but CPW says killing the male wolf "would be irresponsible management and potentially cause the den to fail, possibly resulting in the death of the presumed pups."

Because of the belief a male and female wolf are breeding, CPW has no plans to lethally remove the male believed to have killed cattle on private properties.

Amid recent wolf depredations, CPW also confirmed a gray wolf that was reintroduced in Colorado was found dead in Larimer County this April. An autopsy has not been completed, but no foul play was believed to be indicated early on; therefore, natural causes are likely for that death.

The anticipation and implementation of the gray wolf restoration program have maintained controversy in the state for years. Wolf reintroduction has been controversial through the passage of the plan by voters, and then the recent physical reintroduction of gray wolves beginning in 2023.

Anyone interested in CPW's GPS tracking of the gray wolves that currently reside in Colorado can visit the Collared Gray Wolf Activity Map. CPW also recently launched a depredation web page.

Per the CPW document, there have been four wolf depredations reported in Colorado in 2024 so far, all happening in the month of April.