Following the announcement on December 22, 2023, of the successful completion of gray wolf capture work in Oregon, CPW has received many questions on its selection process and whether the wolves came from packs that had been involved in depredation incidents. CPW strictly followed the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan in the selection of the gray wolves reintroduced from multiple packs in Oregon. This plan was informed by Technical Working Group (TWG) experts and a Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) and unanimously adopted by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission.
Per the recommendations of the TWG experts that helped shape the final plan, available in Appendix E, p. 12-13, Animal Reputation:
“If a pack has had infrequent depredation events, as opposed to a chronic and well-known tendency to depredate, this should not, from a technical perspective, necessarily exclude consideration of a wolf or pack as a potential donor.”
It’s important to note that any wolves that have been near livestock will have some history of depredation, and this includes all packs in Oregon. This does not mean they have a history of chronic depredation (see Plan, page 27). If a pack has had infrequent depredation events, they should not be excluded as a source population per the plan.
There were two depredation events by members of the Five Points pack in July 2023. The state of Oregon has a Wolf Management Plan that details how to respond to livestock depredation and per the Plan, ODFW provided the producer with a lethal removal permit after they requested it. The producer’s agent lethally removed four wolves from the pack in early August. The pack has not depredated since.
CPW took multiple factors into account when deciding to bring in animals from the Five Points Pack, as was done for all packs in Oregon and will be done for all animals used in subsequent translocations, as that particular pack has some history of depredations on livestock. Factors such as size of pack, previous removals from the pack, pack behavior after removals and age of captured wolves were all considered. After removing the four animals this summer, the Five Points pack has not been involved in any further depredations. The change in pack behavior and the lack of current depredations met CPW criteria for accepting the animals.
There were two depredations by the Wenaha Pack in September and October. No wolves were removed from this pack and there have been no further depredations.
CPW teams in Oregon passed on several larger and easier-to-access packs because they had recent depredation or had a chronic or ongoing depredation history.
The TWG did express a preference for “Sourcing from a pack that has not been exposed to livestock or a significant livestock grazing presence could be preferable: such packs exist in the central or northern Idaho wilderness…” or “populations which have been exposed to livestock, such as many populations in Montana and Idaho, but do not have a history of depredation…” The states of Idaho and Montana declined to participate in the Colorado restoration project, making these source populations unavailable. (Note, there is a logistical challenge in capturing animals from wilderness areas, as the use of motorized vehicles (including helicopters) is precluded in these areas.)
As noted by the TWG, “Depredation is situational, even wolves that are not known to be depredators have the potential for depredation.”
Resources for the agricultural community
As part of the approved plan, CPW has incorporated feedback from landowners and producers to provide a variety of resources for the agricultural community.
CPW and the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in November 2023 outlining how the agencies will collaborate to manage the reintroduction of gray wolves and work to prevent wildlife and livestock conflicts. The MOU will help the agencies to coordinate in support of Colorado’s livestock and landowner communities in advancing non-lethal predator management and help prevent wildlife and livestock conflict.
CPW personnel have received wolf-livestock depredation field identification/investigation training from Wyoming Game and Fish, and are also skilled in identifying/investigating livestock depredations caused by other depredating species.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff will conserve and manage wolves in concert with the rest of our state’s native wildlife. That will involve active management to address conflicts between wolves, people, livestock, and other wildlife species.
When wolf-livestock depredations occur, CPW will work closely with ranchers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to recommend approved hazing methods. Some methods include, but are not limited to: carcass management, physical barriers (i.e., fencing and electrified fencing), guard animals, auditory and visual scare tactics (i.e., fladry, lights, sirens), and increased human presence/vigilance. Please note, CPW has a damage claim process that applies to livestock and/or working dogs when injured or killed.
A Wolf Resource Guide has also been developed that is available online and in printed format to be distributed to ranchers in Colorado who are concerned about preventing wolf depredations.
CPW has had and will continue to have conversations with local producers and landowners in release areas, as well as county commissioners and other decision makers. To protect the wolves that CPW reintroduces, GPS data will not be made publicly available, however local wildlife officers will be working with their communities to educate and inform as pack territories develop. It is too soon to know where wolves will establish. Once wolves breed and develop den and rendezvous sites, their pack territories will become more clear. It will take time to collect enough data from the collars to determine where the animals’ home range or pack territories will be. We will share known pack territories once they establish so that people know they live in a wolf pack range.
Questions?
CPW employees are available to answer questions and give presentations, as requested. Please send your request related to wolves and wolf reintroduction to a statewide or regional Public Information Officer who can help direct your request. If you would like to request educational programs or opportunities related to wolf reintroduction, please submit a form to our Education team.
Written by Travis Duncan. Travis is a public information officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife in Denver. He has lived in Colorado for nearly 20 years and loves the outdoors.