Wandering Colorado Wolf Transplanted From Canada Logs 1,230 Miles Around State

Over the last 18 months, reintroduced wolves in Colorado have trekked across vast swaths of that state, including one female who logged 1,230 miles between January and April. 

Wolves will also be safe if they cross state lines into Utah, New Mexico or Arizona. 

Those states have cut deals with Colorado to trap and return the wolves. Policy for wolves that cross into Wyoming remains the same — they’re not protected here and may be shot on sight.

Colorado resident Matt Barns, a research associate with the Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative, said the female wolf’s travels are impressive — and she might not be finished.

“She’s continuing that and going quite a ways,” he told Cowboy State Daily. The 1,230 miles “is probably more than any other wolf in modern Colorado history.”

Another Colorado resident, John Michael Williams who runs the Colorado Wolf Tracker Facebook page, told Cowboy State Daily that he thinks that wolf and others might be homesick for Canada. 

“They’re lost. They want to go home, so they’re wandering,” he said.

Moving To The South

Colorado’s wolf reintroduction program was initiated by Proposition 114, which Colorado voters passed in 2020 by the slimmest of margins, 50.91% to 49.09%.

Reintroductions began in December 2023, with the release of 10 wolves brought in from Oregon. In January, another 15 wolves were released, after being flown in from British Columbia, Canada.

By April, two of the wolves from Canada, both males, had crossed into Wyoming and died here. One was shot by USDA agents after attacking sheep. Another was reportedly legally shot by hunters.

A female wolf from the British Columbia batch died in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado on April 20, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). The agency didn’t list that wolf’s cause of death. 

The female that’s logged 1,230 miles was also among the wolves brought in from British Columbia. 

What’s unusual about her travels is that they’ve been well to the south of most of the other wolf activity in Colorado so far. 

A CPW wolf activity map for March 25 to April 22 shows a line of reported activity running across the southern part of Colorado, almost the entire length of the state from east to west. 

That’s due almost entirely to the lone female wolf, according to CPW. 

While one wolf covering that much ground is impressive, it wasn’t unexpected, CPW spokeswoman Rachael Gonzales told Cowboy State Daily. 

“Wolves are habitat generalists, meaning they can thrive in many environments as long as prey is present,” she said in an email. “Over time, wolves will continue to disperse across the state to establish territories.”

Wyoming Game and Fish large carnivore specialist Dan Thompson agreed that it’s not unheard of for wolves to go on huge walkabouts, particularly when they’re young. 

“Wolves are capable of covering a great deal of country and it's usually younger animals that tend to make large scale dispersal movements,” he told Cowboy State Daily.

Concerns Over Mexican Gray Wolves

As Colorado’s wolf recovery efforts continue, there are also efforts to save Mexican gray wolves, an endangered species that lives in the desert Southwest. 

Mexican wolves are a recognized sub-species, smaller than northern gray wolves such as those brought into Colorado from Canada and Oregon.

There’s been concern that if the Colorado wolves stray too far south, they could push Mexican wolves out, or breed with them.

That’s part of the reason why Utah, New Mexico and Arizona have agreed to trap and return any Colorado wolves that might cross into their states.

“CPW has an agreement with Utah, New Mexico and Arizona to ensure wolves crossing into those states can be safely recaptured and returned to Colorado,” according to CPW. “These protocols are designed to protect the genetic integrity of the federally listed Mexican gray wolf, a distinct subspecies that is a separately listed entity under the Endangered Species Act.”

Barnes said some intermixing between gray wolves and Mexican wolves might be inevitable over time, particularly on the northern edges of the latter subspecies’ range. 

‘There’s Been A Hush Over Everything’

Williams said that information about wolves in Colorado has been scarce because some people on both sides of the debate over wolf reintroduction want things kept quiet. 

Pro-wolf people don’t want too much information about the wolves’ locations broadcast over fears that some who don’t like wolves will try to hunt them down.

“Although, I think that’s an unfounded fear,” Williams said.

Meanwhile, ranchers are also “hesitant to broadcast information” about wolf activity and possible livestock over concern that they might be harassed by adamant wolf advocates, he said. 

“There’s been a hush over everything,” Williams said.

Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.