It was not immediately clear if that warning had anything to do with Wednesday\u2019s announcement. Denver7 has reached out to CPW for comment. <\/p>\n
Colorado has no plans to reintroduce more gray wolves this winter, state wildlife officials announce<\/p>\n
Our partners at The Denver Post, however, reported<\/a> CPW’s decision to halt wolf reintroduction for the remaining of the season came after federal officials told Colorado in October to stop importing wolves from Canada<\/a> and instead rely on northern Rocky Mountain states to achieve its goals for reintroduction.<\/p>\n Laura Clellan, the CPW\u2019s acting director, said in a statement her agency will continue to meet with producers and other stakeholders, including the USFWS, to \u201cexplore how to maximize the restoration effort\u201d next winter while protecting both livestock and wolves. <\/p>\n In the meantime, state wildlife officials said they would continue working with producers to implement tactics outlined in the\u00a0Wolf-Livestock Conflict Minimization Program Guide<\/a>\u00a0while building on \u201csignificant conflict mitigation milestones this year.\u201d<\/p>\n The now-canceled reintroduction this month was destined for southwestern Colorado, where cattle ranchers there spoke to Denver7 last fall about their concerns <\/a>with bringing the predators into their lands. <\/p>\n Hear directly from two cattle ranchers in Gunnison County about what the wolf reintroduction program would mean for their livelihood in the video player below: <\/p>\n Gunnison County ranchers bracing for planned 2026 gray wolf reintroduction<\/p>\n Though CPW has confirmed successful reproduction in four wolf packs over the summer, an estimate of the number of new pups has not yet been confirmed, officials said Wednesday. That, coupled with the current wolf population\u2019s fatality rate of about 50% since they were reintroduced starting in 2023, could increase \u201cthe risk of failing to achieve a self-sustaining wolf population in Colorado,\u201d CPW Wolf Program Manager Eric Odell said Wednesday. <\/p>\n Agency officials said they would continue making all management decisions on a case-by-case basis after evaluating circumstances, the state\u2019s wolf restoration and management plan, and relevant law.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a complicated effort and I want to encourage all stakeholders to continue to work together as we move toward the goal of creating a self-sustaining population of wolves in the state, while at the same time minimizing conflict with livestock,\u201d said CPW acting director Clellan.<\/p>\n Rob Edward, the president of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project<\/a>, a nonprofit dedicated to the restoration of gray wolves in the Rocky Mountain West, told Denver7 via email the decision means the USFWS “has gone back on their commitment to Colorado and their legal obligation to the Endangered Species Act.” <\/p>\n “Given we cannot bring more wolves in this season, it means that every wolf on the ground is doubly valuable,” he said. “Colorado Parks & Wildlife will need to redouble their efforts to prevent conflict between wolves and livestock, and go hard on investigating any illegally caused wolf deaths.”<\/p>\n In a statement, a spokesperson for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association said the decision by CPW was “a constructive step that reflects the need for the state to pause and address the ongoing concerns raised by livestock producers and rural communities.” <\/p>\n \u201cA pause in releases must not mean a pause in action,\u201d said Curt Russell, president of the Colorado Cattlemen\u2019s Association. \u201cProducers are living with wolves today, and effective management tools, compensation, and responsiveness from the state are critical during this period.\u201d<\/p>\n Denver7 has been following Colorado’s wolf reintroduction program since the very beginning, and you can explore all of that reporting in the timeline below. The timeline starts with our most recent story.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Denver7 in-depth wolf coverage<\/p>\n The below list outlines an overview of the known wolf population in Colorado:<\/p>\n Six wolves\u00a0surviving<\/a>\u00a0from the original 10 that were released in December 2023 (one died of a likely mountain lion attack<\/a>, a\u00a0second died from injuries sustained prior to his capture as part of the Copper Creek Pack relocation effort<\/a>, a\u00a0third wolf became sickly and died<\/a>, and a fourth died in Wyoming<\/a>)Three wolves surviving of the five\u00a0wolf pups<\/a>\u00a0born in the spring of 2024 (one male was killed by CPW after multiple depredations in Pitkin County<\/a> and a second male was shot for the same reasons in September<\/a>)Eight wolves surviving from the\u00a015 that were released in January 2025<\/a>\u00a0(one was\u00a0shot and killed by Wildlife Services in Wyoming<\/a>, a\u00a0second died of unknown causes in Wyoming<\/a>, a\u00a0third died in Rocky Mountain National Park<\/a>, a\u00a0fourth died in northwest Colorado<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0fifth died in northwest Colorado after it was likely hit by a car<\/a>, a sixth died in southwestern Colorado<\/a>, and a seventh died in northwest Colorado<\/a>)Unknown number of pups born in four packs in 2025Two uncollared wolves that moved south from Wyoming<\/a>\u00a0several years ago and have been in and out of the area. It is not clear if they are alive or still in the state.One uncollared wolf<\/a>\u00a0that was last known to be in northwest Moffat County in mid-February 2025. It is not clear if it is alive or still in the state.Possible, but unconfirmed, wolf in the Browns Park area as of February 2025. It is not clear if it is alive or still in the state.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Coloradans making a difference | Denver7 featured videos<\/p>\n Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what’s right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wolf-icon.png\"){kind=icon}
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