Over Half of the Gray Wolves Released into Colorado Since 2023 for Reintroduction Program Have Died

In 2020, a statewide voter-led initiative to introduce an experimental population of gray wolves into Colorado over several years passed

NEED TO KNOW

• On March 13, Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center announced one of the 25 gray wolves released into the state since 2023 had died
• The deceased animal is the 14th gray wolf to die after being released into Colorado as part of the state’s wolf reintroduction program
• The cause of death for the 14th wolf is under investigation by state and federal officials

A wild gray wolf recently died in Colorado, marking the 14th death of a wolf brought to the state for reintroduction efforts.

According to a statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) on Friday, March 13, the agency confirmed the mortality of "gray wolf 2310," though details surrounding how the animal died remain limited as officials continue to investigate.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the death is under review, with standard procedures, including a necropsy, expected to help determine the cause of death. As a federally protected species, such investigations will often involve coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The latest loss adds to a growing number of gray wolf deaths in Colorado since the state began reintroducing the species in late 2023, following voter approval of the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan, which aimed to rebuild a self-sustaining gray wolf population in Colorado through an experimental population of wolves brought in from other parts of North America.

Since the plan's approval, at least 25 wild gray wolves have been brought into the state from Oregon and British Columbia. However, survival has been uneven. Reporting from The Colorado Sun found that over half of the relocated wolves have died within the program's first two years, raising concerns about long-term viability.

State officials, however, have cautioned against jumping to conclusions about what these deaths may mean. A spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife previously said the mortality rate should not be overinterpreted "over such a short time period and with such a small sample size," emphasizing that early losses can naturally occur in wildlife reintroduction efforts.

Still, each new death has drawn increased attention, particularly as the program faces logistical challenges, including delays in bringing additional wolves into the state.

The state's proposed wolf restoration plan calls for releasing 30 to 50 wolves over a three- to five-year period, with success measured not just by survival, but by the formation of breeding pairs and the growth of stable packs. However, state officials confirmed earlier this year that no wolves will be introduced into Colorado's ecosystem in 2026

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Colorado officials said monitoring efforts for the remaining wolves already released into the state will continue as they work to better understand the factors contributing to wolf mortality — and what that could mean for the future of the reintroduction program.

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