DENVER (KDVR) — Wolves were first reintroduced in the winter of 2023, with more introduced in January this year, and wolf pups have been spotted in Colorado for another season.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said staff have seen pups, which are usually born in mid to late April. These sightings mark another season of wolves reproducing in the area after being reintroduced in December 2023.
Five wolves were first released in December 2023 to reintroduce the species into Colorado. Since then, more wolves have been reintroduced, including 15 Canadian gray wolves released into Eagle and Pitkin counties in January.
Several wolves have died, including a collared wolf that was shot and killed by Wildlife Services in Wyoming during a livestock death mitigation. Amid these deaths, the population is also bringing new pups.
CPW said it is now monitoring four den sites in undisclosed areas in Colorado, and the wolves are reproducing. Wildlife officers are starting to get a minimum count of the pups by “both direct observations and indirect methods.” However, CPW didn’t share the exact number, as sightings, especially in the early season, aren’t guaranteed.
The “certainty of detection is low,” according to CPW, because of continued denning, moving to rendezvous sites and varied habitats.
These aren’t the first pups spotted in Colorado. The first gray wolf born since the voter-approved wolf reintroduction was spotted in June 2024, and three wolves from that den were videoed playing in Grand County in August 2024.
About The Author
