Keeping track of Colorado’s gray wolf population is sort of like a math story problem. If ten wolves were brought to Colorado in December, one died in April, one was born in June, and two other wolves naturally migrated from Wyoming, how many live in the state? If Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) numbers are correct, the answer is twelve.
CPW’s Collared Wolf Activity Map for July shows a shift in movement - less dispersed and more centralized from the state’s northern border south to I70. The wolves appear to have moved away from Boulder County, northern Larimer County and the central regions of Eagle, Grand, and Routt counties. remaining in Jackson, western Grand and eastern Routt counties with some activity in eastern Rio Blanco, the southwest and northwest corners of Routt, and the very northeastern corner of Garfield County.
Wolves remain mostly north of I-70 but the map shows some activity - similar to last month - south of the interstate through Summit and northeast Eagle counties, west of Breckinridge and south to the Lake County line.
Livestock depredation rates have changed, said Reid DeWalt, CPW deputy director, at a July Commission meeting in Meeker. “We continue to have a few sporadic depredations but nothing like we had seen this spring and things h"ave calmed down somewhat.” CPW’s Confirmed Gray Wolf Depredation Report shows one incident in Grand County and two in Routt County between June 25 and July 23. No claims were submitted.
The agency recently added a temporary working group to the wolf management mix, made up of wolf advocates, ranchers, state elected officials and staff from CPW and the state Department of Agriculture. The group aims to reduce tensions and help build working relationships. “We're also providing input on longer term structures to collaboratively address implementation challenges and conflicts as they arise,” explained DeWalt.
The working group does not make recommendations nor will outcomes change the wolf restoration plan. DeWalt added that members know the state’s goal is to build a sustainable population of wolves while supporting the agricultural industry.
Ranchers are worried about livestock depredation and communication with CPW. Wildlife advocates want the agency to focus on non-lethal control methods. “It's so important to be able to talk directly with one another in groups like this, I can’t state that enough,” he said. “The different stakeholders and backgrounds are just critical to these types of discussions.”
DeWalt said that sales of the wolf license plate, which went into effect January 1, have generated $300,000 so far for non-lethal control methods.
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