U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service threatens to take control of Colorado gray wolf reintroduction program

Colorado Parks and Wildlife could lose authority over the reintroduction of gray wolves in the state, according to a warning by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In a letter to CPW sent on Dec. 18, USFWS is requesting that CPW provide a complete report of all wolf conservation and management activities from Dec. 2013 to the present. They also asked for a narrative summary and documentation on its reintroduction efforts.

The letter follows the Trump Administration's statement that Colorado violated a rule prohibiting the relocation of wolves from Canada. The state introduced 15 wolves from British Columbia in 2024 and planned to bring in more from the area. However, gray wolves are listed as endangered, and CPW must obtain a permit from the USFWS to relocate them. The current permit, issued in 2023, lists six states and does not include Canada.

CPW said it consulted with USFWS before importing the wolves from British Columbia.

The letter also expressed concern over the recent reintroduction of a wolf from a pack with a history of depredation. The wolf was previously a member of the Copper Creek pack, before leaving on its own last fall, CPW said. It traveled to New Mexico, where it was captured and then returned to Colorado. The release received pushback from Grand County commissioners, who said returning a wolf whose pack has a history of depredation erodes trust among the state, CPW, and residents in areas where the wolves have been reintroduced.

CPW was given 30 days to provide the requested information. If information is not provided within that timeframe, USFWS states the letter will serve as the program's 60-day written notice of its intent to revoke CPW's authority over it. Upon termination, USFWS would assume the management, relocation and lethal removal of the wolves as it deems necessary.