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February 2025 CPW Gray Wolf Reintroduction Effort Update + Photo Gallery
Description: A capture helicopter pursues a wolf during capture operations in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025. Colorado Parks and Wildlife Released the Following Update on the CPW Gray Wolf Reintroduction Efforts for February 2025... See the Full Photo Gallery By CPW Below...
February 2025 CPW Gray Wolf Reintroduction Effort Update
Range Riders
CPW has received more than a hundred applications and is working to contract 12 range riders for the 2025 on-range season (late April to the end of September). To date, CPW and the Colorado Department of Agriculture have nine range riders who have accepted offers to work in the Northwest Region. Once all positions have been filled, CPW and CDA staff members and any contract range riders will undergo specialized training to create a team of trained range riders with connections to local communities who can be deployed to support producers at short notice.
It’s important to remember that range riding is just one tool in the toolbox available to producers. CPW will continue to work with producers to ensure they have the appropriate non-lethal tools that work for their operation to reduce the potential of conflict where wolf activity is or could be.
Wolf movements
Wolves can and do travel long distances. Recent wolf collar data shows that one wolf has made broad movements into the western portion of Mesa County. Collar data shows another wolf has made movements into Park, Teller and Fremont counties. As wolf population numbers grow, some wolves will migrate to establish new territories.
Wolves are habitat generalists, meaning they can thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and habitats. As long as prey is available, wolves can use a variety of areas. It is anticipated that wolves will expand their distribution throughout the state widely over time. CPW field staff inform local area producers when wolves are spending time in an area and work to establish site assessments to identify and deploy deterrence measures.
CPW relies on sightings from the public to let us know if other wolves are being seen on the landscape that have migrated in from other states. CPW recently confirmed that a scat sample from the northwest corner of Moffat County tested positive for wolf DNA, meaning there is at least one uncollared wolf on the landscape in our population estimate that was not part of the agency’s reintroduction efforts. CPW provides important information for the public to learn how to spot the difference between a coyote and a gray wolf on our website. The gray wolf in Colorado is protected by both the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and state law.
CPW encourages anyone who believes they have seen a wolf to fill out the wolf sighting form found on our website. In addition to the wolf sighting form, members of the public can also find information on living and recreating in areas where wolves live.
Additional Resources
In early January, CPW published a Wolf-Livestock Conflict Minimization Program Guide that provides information on a variety of tools and methods available for livestock producers to employ in efforts to reduce the likelihood of wolf-livestock conflicts and establishes a framework for CPW’s response, along with available support from other state, federal and non-governmental organizations. More information about Living with Wolves is available on our website.
Photos by Colorado Parks and Wildlife
A capture helicopter prepares for takeoff in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
Wolf tracks covering a frozen lake are seen from a helicopter in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
Gray wolves are tracked across snow-covered terrain during capture operations in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
Gray wolves run across snow-covered terrain during capture operations in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
Gray wolves run across snow-covered terrain during capture operations in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
A capture helicopter pursues a wolf during capture operations in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
A wolf runs across snow-covered terrain in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025, with the shadow of a helicopter cast above.
A wolf runs across snow-covered terrain in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025, with the shadow of a helicopter cast above.
A wildlife capture crew carries a gray wolf to a transport helicopter in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
Staff unloads a gray wolf from a helicopter in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
Staff transports a wolf from a helicopter in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
CPW’s Wolf Conservation Program Manager stands with staff as a helicopter powers down after transporting a wolf in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
CPW’s Wildlife Research Scientist prepares for takeoff in a transport helicopter used during wolf capture operations in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
CPW’s Wolf Conservation Program Manager and Wolf Monitoring and Data Coordinator await the arrival of a helicopter transporting a gray wolf in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
CPW’s Wildlife Research Scientist and Wolf Conservation Program Manager help to lift a captured wolf from a helicopter in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
Staff from Colorado and British Columbia transport a sedated gray wolf using a carry tarp to a processing station, where veterinarians and biologists conduct wellness examinations.
Staff from Colorado and British Columbia transport a sedated gray wolf using a carry tarp to a processing station, where veterinarians and biologists conduct wellness examinations.
A close-up of a sedated wolf’s fur during a health check in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
A close-up of a sedated wolf’s paw during a health check during capture operations in British Columbia, Canada, in January 2025.
CPW’s Wolf Conservation Program Manager and Wolf Monitoring and Data Coordinator carry a sedated wolf into a holding pen in British Columbia, Canada, before its transport to Colorado in January 2025.
A gray wolf waits in a holding pen in British Columbia, Canada, before its transport to Colorado in January 2025.
LightHawk’s CEO, left, and CPW’s Wolf Conservation Program Manager carry a crate used for transporting gray wolves from British Columbia, Canada, to Colorado in January 2025.
Staff load a crate containing a gray wolf onto a plane for transport from British Columbia, Canada, to Colorado in January 2025.
Staff load a crate containing a gray wolf onto a plane for transport from British Columbia, Canada, to Colorado in January 2025.
Staff load a crate containing a gray wolf onto a plane for transport from British Columbia, Canada, to Colorado in January 2025.
A plane from LightHawk prepares for takeoff in British Columbia, Canada, before transporting gray wolves to Colorado in January 2025.
A plane from LightHawk carrying gray wolves from British Columbia, Canada to Colorado taxis across the runway and parks at the airport, January, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Manager, top, helps unload a crate containing a gray wolf from inside the transport plane after arriving in Colorado, January, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologist checks on a gray wolf inside a crate after the wolf was unloaded from a transport plane, January 2025. Five wolves arrived from British Columbia, Canada during this same transport.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologist fills out a data sheet and intake paperwork for a gray wolf after the animal was unloaded from a transport plane, January, 2025.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Wolf Conservation Program Manager, left, files a data sheet for a gray wolf following the animal’s arrival in Colorado, January, 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff carry a crate containing a gray wolf to a transport vehicle prior to the wolf’s release in January, 2025. Fifteen wolves from British Columbia were released in Eagle and Pitkin counties in January 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff carry a crate containing a gray wolf from the transport airplane to a holding area prior to the wolf’s release, January, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Manager checks the crates containing gray wolves following the first round of wolf arrivals from British Columbia, Canada, January, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife officer checks intake paperwork for gray wolves following the first round of arrivals in Colorado from Canada, January, 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers and biologists move a crate containing a gray wolf from the holding area to a transport vehicle, January, 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Wolf Conservation Program Manager pauses for a moment between loading crates containing gray wolves into transport vehicles following the wolves’ arrival in Colorado from Canada, January 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Manager, center, supervises and provides some light as crates containing gray wolves are removed from a transport trailer prior to the wolves’ release on Jan. 14, 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers and biologists position a crate and check on the gray wolf inside prior to the animal’s release on Jan. 14, 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Managers carry a crate with a gray wolf inside to the release location on Jan. 14, 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Wolf Monitoring and Data Coordinator, left, and District Wildlife Manager, right, prepare to open a crate with a gray wolf inside during the release on Jan. 14, 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers and biologists use a red light to check on a wolf sitting inside a crate during the wolf release operation on Jan. 14, 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers carry a crate containing a wolf towards the release location while CPW’s Wolf Monitoring and Data Coordinator, far right, looks on during the operation on Jan. 14, 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers reposition two crates containing gray wolves before the animals’ release on the night of Jan. 14, 2025.
A set of wolf tracks left behind by a recently released gray wolf are seen under the light of a nearly full moon on the night of Jan. 14, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Manager untangles a strap while securing empty wolf crates inside a transport trailer following the release of five wolves on Jan. 14, 2025
A gray wolf glances backwards while finding a path through a field of sagebrush after being released on the night of Jan. 14, 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Managers remove a crate containing a gray wolf from a transport trailer before releasing the animal on the night of Jan. 14, 2025
Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff use flashlights to illuminate the hillside and watch a recently released gray wolf navigate the sagebrush during a release on Jan. 14, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife Field Veterinarian, left, helps carry a crate containing a wolf to the release location for the animal on the night of Jan. 16, 2025.
A gray wolf jumps over a patch of sagebrush as it leaves the release location on the night of Jan. 16, 2025. Using flashlights to illuminate the scene helps biologists watch the wolf and monitor its gait, path of travel, and alertness.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Manager, right, and Species Conservation Biologist, left, complete data sheets for each of the five gray wolves following the wolf release on Jan. 16, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Manager files data sheets and field paperwork for one of the gray wolves released on the night of Jan. 16, 2025.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff files paperwork and prepares to load empty crates into the transport trailer following the release of five gray wolves on the night of Jan. 16, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Manager, center, completes a data sheet for a gray wolf while other CPW staff work near a crate following the gray wolf release on the night of Jan. 16, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife Species Conservation Biologist, center, smiles with other CPW staff while working near a wolf crate on the night of Jan. 16, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Manager, center, checks the data sheets for a wolf prior to the animal’s release on the night of Jan. 16, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife Species Conservation Biologist, left, and District Wildlife Manager, right, complete the data sheets for a gray wolf following the animal’s release on the night of Jan. 16, 2025.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife Species Conservation Biologist, left, and District Wildlife Manager, right, double check information and complete data sheets for a gray wolf following the animal’s release on the night of Jan. 16, 2025
