Threatened Colorado

Colorado wildlife conservation programs

Conservation in Action

What's working for Colorado's rare wildlife, where each recovery program stands, and what you can do to help. Every number on this page links to the agency or program that published it.

By Threatened Colorado , Two Colorado natives , About us

Last reviewed , Checked against USFWS, CPW sources , Sources (44)

500+

Black-footed ferrets released in Colorado

Source: CPW (opens in a new tab)

218

Lynx released in the San Juans, 1999–2006

Source: CPW (opens in a new tab)

36,000

Adult razorback suckers in the Green River, up from about 100

Source: USFWS (opens in a new tab)

2 of 4

Endangered Colorado River fish now downlisted

Source: Federal Register (opens in a new tab)

Comeback stories

Species and places where the work has paid off, each with the agency record behind it.

From our reporting

Recovery programs

Six programs working to bring species back in Colorado, with what each has done and where it stands now.

  • Recovering numbers up, milestones met
  • In progress animals on the ground, recovery not yet secure
  • Early planned, not yet started
Razorback Sucker Colorado Pikeminnow Humpback Chub Bonytail Chub
Recovering

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

USFWS, Bureau of Reclamation, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and partners

36,000

adult razorback suckers in the Green River, up from roughly 100 wild fish in the late 1990s (USFWS) (opens in a new tab)

Where it stands

Two of the four big-river fish are now threatened rather than endangered. The Colorado pikeminnow and bonytail are still endangered. (Federal Register) (opens in a new tab) (USFWS) (opens in a new tab)

Milestones

  1. 1988 The recovery program is established. (Recovery Program) (opens in a new tab)
  2. Oct. 2021 Humpback chub downlisted from endangered to threatened. (Federal Register) (opens in a new tab)
  3. July 2026 Razorback sucker downlisted to threatened; the rule took effect Aug. 17. (Federal Register) (opens in a new tab)
Canada Lynx
Recovering

Canada Lynx Reintroduction

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

75–100

lynx in Colorado today, by CPW’s estimate (CPW) (opens in a new tab)

Where it stands

CPW counts the reintroduction a success, but lynx are still federally threatened, and in 2026 USFWS revised their critical habitat to include Colorado. (CPW) (opens in a new tab) (Federal Register) (opens in a new tab)

Milestones

  1. 1999 First releases near Creede and north of Durango; 218 lynx were released through 2006. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
  2. 2003 First kittens: 16 born to reintroduced lynx. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
  3. 2010 CPW declares the reintroduction met all of its benchmarks of success. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
  4. July 2026 USFWS revises lynx critical habitat, including areas in Colorado. (Federal Register) (opens in a new tab)
Black-footed Ferret
In progress

Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Program

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service + Colorado Parks and Wildlife

500+

ferrets released in Colorado reintroduction efforts (CPW) (opens in a new tab)

Where it stands

Colorado now has six reintroduction sites, CPW says. Ferrets for release are bred at USFWS’s National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in northern Colorado. (CPW) (opens in a new tab) (USFWS) (opens in a new tab)

Milestones

  1. 1981 A ranch dog finds a surviving population near Meeteetse, Wyoming. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
  2. 2001 Colorado’s first releases, in Rio Blanco and Moffat counties; 260 ferrets go out there before plague hits in 2008. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
  3. 2013 CPW, USFWS, NRCS and partners start working with Eastern Plains landowners to return ferrets. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
Gunnison Sage-Grouse
In progress

Gunnison Sage-Grouse Recovery

Colorado Parks and Wildlife + USFWS

~3,500

breeding birds in seven populations in Colorado and Utah (CPW) (opens in a new tab)

Where it stands

About 85 percent of breeding birds live in the Gunnison Basin population, per the USFWS recovery plan; the other six populations are far smaller. (USFWS) (opens in a new tab) (CPW) (opens in a new tab)

Milestones

  1. 2000 Named a separate species; CPW begins moving birds to the smaller populations. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
  2. Nov. 2014 Listed as federally threatened. (Federal Register) (opens in a new tab)
  3. Oct. 2020 USFWS publishes its final recovery plan. (USFWS) (opens in a new tab)
Gray Wolf
In progress

Gray Wolf Restoration

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

25

wolves released, from Oregon (2023) and British Columbia (2025) (CPW) (opens in a new tab)

Where it stands

CPW made no releases in winter 2025–26 and is exploring translocations for winter 2026–27. (CPW) (opens in a new tab) For the current count, see the Colorado Wolf Tracker.

Milestones

  1. Nov. 2020 Voters pass Proposition 114, directing wolf restoration west of the Continental Divide. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
  2. Dec. 2023 10 wolves from Oregon are released in Grand and Summit counties, Dec. 18–22. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
  3. 2024 First pups: CPW captures the Copper Creek pack’s four pups that September. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
  4. Jan. 2025 15 wolves from British Columbia are released in Eagle and Pitkin counties. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
North American Wolverine
Early

Wolverine Restoration

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

45

wolverines planned: up to 15 per winter for three or more winters (CPW) (opens in a new tab)

Where it stands

No wolverines have been released. CPW needs a federal 10(j) nonessential experimental population rule first, and none had been proposed as of October 2026. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)

Milestones

  1. Nov. 2023 USFWS lists the North American wolverine as threatened. (Federal Register) (opens in a new tab)
  2. May 2024 SB24-171 authorizes CPW to reintroduce wolverines. (Colorado General Assembly) (opens in a new tab)
  3. Jan. 2026 CPW releases its Wolverine Restoration Plan, with release zones north of I-70, in the Elk and West Elk mountains, and in the San Juans. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)

What you can do

Each action names what it helps and links to the Colorado program or tool that does it.

Hikers & anglers

Things to do on the trail, on the water and in the field.

Homeowners

Your yard can feed pollinators that are in trouble.

Landowners

Voluntary programs for wildlife habitat on private land.

Voters & commenters

Money and comments that reach the agencies directly.

On the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot, Proposition 137 would direct part of the existing state sales tax on sporting goods to conservation, wildfire and outdoor recreation programs.

Sources (44)
  1. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Black-footed ferret. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  2. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center. fws.gov (opens in a new tab)
  3. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Lynx. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  4. Colorado Outdoors (CPW), Tracking lynx movement in Colorado and beyond (May 3, 2021). coloradooutdoorsmag.com (opens in a new tab)
  5. USFWS, Federal Register 91 FR 43732: revised critical habitat for the Canada lynx (July 16, 2026). federalregister.gov (opens in a new tab)
  6. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USFWS finalizes rule downlisting the razorback sucker (July 16, 2026). fws.gov (opens in a new tab)
  7. USFWS, Federal Register 91 FR 44756: reclassification of the razorback sucker from endangered to threatened (July 17, 2026). federalregister.gov (opens in a new tab)
  8. USFWS, Federal Register 86 FR 57588: reclassification of the humpback chub from endangered to threatened (October 18, 2021). federalregister.gov (opens in a new tab)
  9. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bonytail. fws.gov (opens in a new tab)
  10. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Recovery plan for Colorado pikeminnow (2023). ecos.fws.gov (opens in a new tab)
  11. Colorado River Recovery Programs, Program partners. coloradoriverrecovery.org (opens in a new tab)
  12. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Gunnison sage-grouse. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  13. USFWS, Federal Register 79 FR 69192: threatened status for Gunnison sage-grouse (November 20, 2014). federalregister.gov (opens in a new tab)
  14. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Final recovery plan for Gunnison sage-grouse (October 2020). ecos.fws.gov (opens in a new tab)
  15. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Wolverine restoration. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  16. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, CPW announces wolverine restoration plan (January 15, 2026). cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  17. USFWS, Federal Register 88 FR 83726: threatened status for the North American wolverine (November 30, 2023). federalregister.gov (opens in a new tab)
  18. Colorado General Assembly, SB24-171 Restoration of Wolverines (signed May 20, 2024). leg.colorado.gov (opens in a new tab)
  19. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Bringing wolves back to Colorado. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  20. Colorado Outdoors (CPW), CPW successfully completes gray wolf capture work in Oregon (December 22, 2023). coloradooutdoorsmag.com (opens in a new tab)
  21. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Copper Creek wolf pack capture operations are complete (September 11, 2024). cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  22. Colorado Outdoors (CPW), CPW concludes second year of gray wolf capture and release efforts (January 21, 2025). coloradooutdoorsmag.com (opens in a new tab)
  23. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Update on the 2025–2026 gray wolf release season (January 21, 2026). cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  24. USFWS, Federal Register 72 FR 37346: removing the bald eagle in the lower 48 states from the endangered list (July 9, 2007). federalregister.gov (opens in a new tab)
  25. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Bald eagle. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  26. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Greenback cutthroat trout. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  27. Colorado Outdoors (CPW), Greenback cutthroat trout naturally reproducing in Colorado (September 26, 2022). coloradooutdoorsmag.com (opens in a new tab)
  28. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, River otter. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  29. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Otter Y.E.A.R. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  30. City of Glenwood Springs and U.S. Forest Service, Hanging Lake permits (official permit site). hanginglake.com (opens in a new tab)
  31. Colorado Department of Transportation, CDOT completes construction of the I-25 Greenland wildlife overpass (December 2025). codot.gov (opens in a new tab)
  32. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Boat inspections (Clean, Drain, Dry). cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  33. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Wolf sightings. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  34. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Lead free. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  35. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Keep Colorado Wild Pass. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  36. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Volunteer with CPW. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  37. Colorado State University Extension, Creating pollinator habitat (Fact Sheet 5.616). extension.colostate.edu (opens in a new tab)
  38. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Sage Grouse Initiative: Colorado. nrcs.usda.gov (opens in a new tab)
  39. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  40. Colorado Department of Revenue, DR 0104CH Voluntary Contributions Schedule. tax.colorado.gov (opens in a new tab)
  41. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Donate and support. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  42. Colorado General Assembly, SB26-141 Wildlife Collision Prevention (signed May 27, 2026). leg.colorado.gov (opens in a new tab)
  43. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Parks and Wildlife Commission (meetings and public comment). cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
  44. USFWS, Federal Register: grizzly bear listing with a revised section 4(d) rule, proposed rule (July 17, 2026). federalregister.gov (opens in a new tab)

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