Wolves and Wildlife on the Move

The 2025 wolf capture and release efforts, which involved capturing wolves from British Columbia and releasing them on the western slope of Colorado, sparked headlines and public interest across Colorado. The successful operation concluded the second gray wolf reintroduction season in support of the Colorado Gray Wolf Restoration and Management Plan and represents another step toward restoring gray wolves to a self-sustaining population on our landscape.

Conversations surrounding the topic of wolves in Colorado create a cloud of excitement for some, hesitation for others, while the remainder stay neutral awaiting the project to more fully unfold. 

But regardless of what wind shear you currently ride, there is one core similarity we all share with each other and the various wildlife in our state — we all call Colorado home, which means we all live in the same place at the same time. 

So how do humans share habitat with wildlife? How do we set healthy boundaries with wild animals, and how do wild animals set boundaries with us? And — why are wolves currently getting all the attention these days? Insert my middle-kid syndrome here. What about all the other wildlife in Colorado who we also share spaces with? 

Well, I’m happy to say human-wildlife coexistence is possible. Coloradans have been living alongside 960 different species along with 10,000 pollinators for generations, and we have found innovative ways over the years to adapt and discover ways to avoid human-wildlife conflicts. 

Living with Wildlife

In Colorado, you can cross paths with wildlife wherever you go: state parks, cities, on roads and trails and in your backyard. Gray wolves may be our newest wild neighbor, but the wildlife ecosystem that surrounds us is far bigger and more diverse than just one species. 

Just to give a glimpse of the rich wildlife tapestry that Colorado is home to, we have approximately 384,000 deer, 308,000 elk, 70,000 pronghorn, 80,000 coyotes, 3,600 moose, 19 bat species, and the list goes on. This diversity is a testament to the beauty and complexity of our natural world. 

Learn more about your wild neighbors: You can find a comprehensive list of Colorado’s wildlife species and their habitats on CPW’s website under the “Colorado Species” section.

In order to share land and spaces among this many wild animals, we humans can take proactive steps to keep wildlife wild and out of our homes, cars and businesses. Think “No Soliciting” and “No Trespassing” signs, but social cues that wildlife can actually understand. By taking these measures, we can play a significant role in maintaining a harmonious relationship with our wild neighbors.

To show respect for bears — homeowners can conduct home audits and set up deterrents like sensor lights and unwelcome mats that establish boundaries with bears so they know they are not welcome in our homes, garages, beehives and campsites. We take down bird feeders, strategically put our trash out the night before pickup and install specialized locks on neighborhood dumpsters to help keep bears away. 

To respect moose, elk and deer — we keep our dogs on leashes to keep dogs from chasing them, we don’t feed them so they don’t get sick, and we don’t approach their young, which can make them become aggressive. We also avoid closed trails during winter months so they can survive the colder months in peace without human disturbance.  

To respect wolves and mountain lions — where appropriate, we install fladry (a type of temporary fence with flags that deter wolves), train guard dogs, remove carcasses from yards and keep pets on leash or inside at night. We give wolves and lions plenty of space.

To keep out bats looking for a roost — we can seal up cracks or openings in attics or sheds. Bats often use buildings as maternity colonies in the summer, so install seals before June or after August to avoid trapping them inside during the birthing period. A bat can fit into any opening that your thumb can fit into. 

Meet our New Neighbors: Gray Wolves

Adult male gray wolves typically weigh between 90 and 110 pounds, and may exceed five feet in length from nose to tail tip. Adult females usually weigh between 70 and 90 pounds and can be five feet long. Gray wolves have coloring of light gray, tawny gray or black, or any combination of those colors.

Generally, wolves want to avoid humans and are unlikely to approach people or homes. Gray wolves are habitat generalists, but are most commonly found in areas with plentiful deer and elk populations. Wolves are generally not a danger to humans, but you should treat wolves with the same respect you give any other wild animal. Understanding their behavior and respecting their space is key to peaceful coexistence. 

For gray wolves, preparation for spring and summer starts in February and continues through April. In February, wolves enter their breeding season, which only lasts a couple of weeks. Before giving birth later in the spring, the breeding female will either dig a den or find a suitable protected depression — a small area with branches and cover overhead — and establish that space as home base to raise the pups. 

Following a gestation period of around 63-65 days, the female will have a litter of four or five pups on average. The female wolf will stay inside the den for over a week with the newly born pups during their first days of life, while the breeding male and other pack members help feed her and the litter during this time. Once they’re able to leave the den, the pups stick to a small area for the summer, then often stay with the pack for a year or two. They could leave the pack when they reach adulthood or stay in their pack for life. 

Lending a Neighborly Hand

Some humans go above and beyond to lend a helping hand to wildlife in Colorado, and help provide habitat for a variety of species or contribute funding to protect wildlife habitat so species populations can grow and thrive.   

Sportspeople who fish and hunt in Colorado purchase a Habitat Stamp, a small but significant contribution that provides funding to the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program. This program helps protect important fish and wildlife habitat and provide places for people to enjoy our wildlife heritage. Since 2024, CPW has invested more than $212,600,000 to secure conservation easements on over 300,000 acres, public access easements on 156,000 acres and river bank access along over 393 miles of riverbank.

Colorado is over 50% private lands, and these lands provide critical habitats for Colorado’s wildlife, which means our local landowners play an integral role in wildlife and habitat conservation in Colorado. The species inhabiting private lands are diverse in their size, conservation status and conservation needs. Whether installing wildlife-friendly fencing that gives wildlife free travel to essential corridors and water or allowing biologists to survey or work toward improving habitat for our threatened species, our local landowners help protect the integrity of our natural landscape by showing they care about coexistence with wildlife.

Colorado ranchers and livestock producers have started using non-lethal conflict techniques to help reduce any potential conflicts between livestock and wolves. This includes asking CPW to conduct site assessments on their property to recommend conflict minimization tools outlined in the Wolf-Livestock Conflict Minimization Program Guide.  

Wildlife on the Move

Sometimes, people focus on where wildlife is born or where crates are opened as if that exact spot is a forever home — but like humans, wolves and wildlife move around based on their needs. 

Wildlife have a biological instinct that kicks in and drives them to move around and migrate based on survival needs, such as looking for food, water, shelter or to find a mate. It’s not personal if they do or don’t cohabit in your area; it’s science.

Wolf Monitoring Using Tracking Collar Data

Translocated wolves are currently exploring the Colorado landscape and as wolf population numbers grow, some wolves will migrate to establish new territories. Wolves are habitat generalists, meaning they do not have specific habitat requirements that determine where they can live. As long as prey is available (elk, deer, moose, bison, rabbits, rodents), wolves can use a variety of areas, and CPW anticipates that wolves will travel all across Colorado over time. 

One way CPW currently monitors wolf movement is by tracking GPS collar data. This data is shared monthly with the public on CPW’s Wolf Sightings webpage and via a monthly Gray Wolf Reintroduction email newsletter.   

Currently, GPS collars are programmed to record a location every few hours. About once per day, the locations are transmitted via satellite to biologists. The frequency of both position recording and transmission of the data can be delayed by a number of factors such as dense cloud cover, closed terrain, etc.

By looking at the data, CPW staff can learn where wolves have been, but they cannot tell where wolves are at a current point in time, nor can they predict where the wolves will go. 

Much like how biologists monitor other species, these collars also emit radio signals that can be tracked, but this can be challenging in areas with hills, mountains, valleys or canyons, which describes much of Colorado. In addition to monitoring collar locations, CPW biologists monitor wolves using trail cameras, genetics collected from scat and hair samples, and visual observations. Finally, Coloradans can help CPW monitor wolves by submitting Wolf Sighting Forms or by contacting our local wildlife officer or biologist about a sighting.

Monitoring Wildlife Movement Patterns

CPW monitors wildlife populations through a combination of aerial surveys, habitat assessments, research studies and collaboration with other organizations, using data to inform management decisions and conservation efforts. 

Not every wild animal in Colorado is collared, but the animals with GPS/radio collars help track their movements, assess herd composition and help wildlife biologists study behavior. 

Human Impact on Wildlife

As Colorado’s population grows and the desire for outdoor recreation increases, the proximity of humans to natural habitats can disrupt wildlife. Wild animals are often displaced by development. Some species can live in nearby open spaces, parks, undeveloped parcels of land, river bottoms and on or near bodies of water. 

In most situations, people and wildlife can easily coexist. The key is to respect the wildness of wildlife. Wildlife is just that — wild. Most dangerous encounters ​occur because people fail to leave wild animals alone. Wildlife should not be harassed, captured, kept or fed. Intentional or inadvertent feeding is the primary cause of most wildlife conflict, which is why it’s illegal to feed wildlife in Colorado.

Most animals will try to avoid a confrontation. However, if they feel threatened, or if their young is being threatened, they can become aggressive. 

Wildlife Crossings in Colorado

Colorado has emerged as a leader in building wildlife crossings to help save animals, money and human lives. In Colorado, there are more than 64 structures, including bridges, tunnels and fencing, designed to keep animals off of roadways and guide them to safe crossing areas.

Wildlife vehicle collisions are a significant issue in Colorado, costing the lives of people and wildlife, in addition to a lot of money.From 2022-2024, there was an average of 5,629 animals were hit and killed in Colorado.

Time has shown that these crossings are highly effective with entire herds of mule deer and elk using the structures, as well as bears, mountain lions, river otters, turkeys, bobcats, coyotes, foxes and now wolves. 

Colorado’s first wildlife crossing project on State Highway 9 between Kremmling and Green Mountain Reservoir resulted in a 92% reduction in crashes with wildlife reported to law enforcement and a 90% reduction in carcasses. 

Wildlife mitigation features are frequently added to planned highway improvement projects to help decrease the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions in Colorado. CPW and CDOT actively monitor wildlife data to identify potential highway mitigation projects that can protect wildlife on the move and keep motorists safe. Collaboration between the agencies has led to developing wildlife prioritization plans for the Western Slope and the Eastern Slope and Plains. To learn more, visit the Colorado Wildlife Transportation Alliance webpage.

Wildlife crossings require skilled labor for planning, construction and ongoing maintenance, directly creating local jobs and stimulating regional economies. Investment in these projects can also support local businesses supplying materials and services.

Many of our highway construction projects now incorporate wildlife mitigation features where they are needed most. Animal underpasses, overpasses, deer fencing, jump-outs and deer guards are structures that can help funnel and direct large game and even smaller wildlife to cross from one side of the highway to the other in a safe manner for both motorists and the animals.

Be a good neighbor

With a better understanding of wildlife behaviors, we can coexist with the diverse wildlife species that roam Colorado landscapes. 

Similar to boundaries we set with our fellow humans, there are non-confrontational ways to tell wild animals to mosey on, and that they are not welcome in certain areas. Coloradans can do their part to show all wildlife respect by not feeding or approaching them, so they can live a wild life away from human disturbance.  

By: Bridget O’Rourke, CPW Statewide Public Information Officer.