Colorado Wolf Tracker
Count, packs and removals, from Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Updated Numbers as of Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
How many wolves are in Colorado?
Right now
Count over time
Known wolves (CPW counts)
Show the numbers as a table
| Date | Known wolves | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 31, 2024 | 15 (10 adults, 5 pups) | Summit Daily (opens in a new tab) |
| March 31, 2026 | at least 32 | CPW via Colorado Outdoors (opens in a new tab) |
| Sept. 24, 2026 | 45 | CPW (opens in a new tab) |
Survival and removals
- From April 2025 to March 2026, 82% of pups and 61% of adults survived. About 75% adult survival is typical for an unharvested population. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
- 10 adult wolves died from April 2025 to March 2026. (CPW via Colorado Outdoors) (opens in a new tab)
- CPW has lethally removed 5 wolves for livestock losses since April 1, 2026, and 6 since releases began. The first was on May 29, 2025. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
- CPW suspended its chronic depredation directive on Sept. 30, 2026. Removals are now judged case by case, and a revised directive is due April 1, 2027. (CPW) (opens in a new tab)
Timeline
Newest first.
2026
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Sept. 30, 2026
CPW counts 45 wolves, including 20 pups, and temporarily suspends its chronic depredation directive. It is also investigating hair loss in wolves from two northwest Colorado packs. (CPW (opens in a new tab))
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Aug.–Sept. 2026
CPW removes four more wolves for chronic livestock depredation, bringing removals since April 1 to five. (CPW (opens in a new tab))
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July 22, 2026
CPW confirms the Piney Ridge Pack in Eagle County, a new reproducing pack. (CPW via Kiowa County Press (opens in a new tab))
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June 12, 2026
CPW removes an uncollared male in Routt County after repeated attacks on sheep. (CPW via Pagosa Daily Post (opens in a new tab))
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May 7, 2026
CPW's 2025–26 annual report counts at least 32 wolves as of March 31, 2026, and an adult survival rate of 61%. (CPW via Colorado Outdoors (opens in a new tab))
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Jan. 28, 2026
The King Mountain Pack's breeding male, 2305, dies during a collaring operation in Routt County. (CPW (opens in a new tab))
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Jan. 21, 2026
CPW announces no wolf releases for the 2025–26 season. (CPW (opens in a new tab))
2025
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Dec. 18, 2025
The U.S. House passes H.R. 845, which would remove federal protection from gray wolves in the lower 48, by 211–204. The Senate hadn't acted as of September 2026. (Rep. Tom Tiffany (opens in a new tab))
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Nov. 2025
Washington's wildlife commission declines Colorado's request for wolves. (CPR News (opens in a new tab))
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July 2025
CPW recognizes three new packs: One Ear, King Mountain and Three Creeks. (KUNC (opens in a new tab))
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May 29, 2025
CPW lethally removes a Copper Creek yearling in Pitkin County after chronic livestock depredation, the first removal since releases began. (CPW via Colorado Outdoors (opens in a new tab))
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Jan. 2025
CPW releases 15 wolves from British Columbia, its second and most recent release. (CPW (opens in a new tab); Summit Daily (opens in a new tab))
2024
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Sept. 3, 2024
The Copper Creek Pack's breeding male, 2309-OR, dies in captivity. In January 2025, USFWS says a gunshot wound led to his death and opens an illegal-killing investigation. (USFWS (opens in a new tab))
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Aug.–Sept. 2024
After repeated livestock losses, CPW captures the Copper Creek Pack, two adults and four pups, and moves them to a secure enclosure. (CPW (opens in a new tab))
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June 2024
CPW confirms the first pup born to reintroduced wolves, the start of the Copper Creek Pack in Grand County. (Sky-Hi News (opens in a new tab); our story)
Show earlier events (2020–2023)
2023
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Dec. 2023
Starting Dec. 18, CPW releases 10 wolves from Oregon in Grand and Summit counties. (CPW (opens in a new tab); CPW (opens in a new tab))
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Dec. 8, 2023
A federal 10(j) rule takes effect, making Colorado's wolves a nonessential experimental population. (Federal Register (opens in a new tab))
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May 3, 2023
The Parks and Wildlife Commission approves the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan. (The Colorado Sun (opens in a new tab); plan PDF, CPW (opens in a new tab))
2020
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Nov. 3, 2020
Colorado voters pass Proposition 114, directing CPW to restore gray wolves west of the Continental Divide by the end of 2023. (Colorado Secretary of State (opens in a new tab))
Frequently asked questions
- How many wolves are in Colorado right now?
- CPW knew of 45 wolves in Colorado as of Sept. 24, 2026, including 20 pups born in 2026. There are 4 reproducing packs, plus a fifth pack of four siblings.
- How many wolves has Colorado released?
- Colorado has released 25 wolves: 10 from Oregon in December 2023 and 15 from British Columbia in January 2025. None were released in winter 2025–26.
- How many wolf packs are in Colorado?
- CPW counts 4 reproducing packs: Copper Creek, One Ear, Piney Ridge and Three Creeks. There is also a fifth pack of four siblings.
- Has Colorado killed any wolves?
- CPW has lethally removed 5 wolves for livestock losses since April 1, 2026, and 6 since releases began; the first was on May 29, 2025. CPW suspended its chronic depredation directive on Sept. 30, 2026. Removals are now judged case by case, and a revised directive is due April 1, 2027.
- Where can I see where Colorado's wolves are?
- CPW's collared wolf activity map shows where collared wolves have been. CPW updates it monthly. CPW's collared wolf activity map (opens in a new tab)
Follow CPW's updates
- Bringing Wolves Back to Colorado (opens in a new tab)
- Collared wolf activity map and sighting form (opens in a new tab)
CPW updates the map on the fourth Wednesday of each month.
- Depredation and compensation (opens in a new tab)
- Chronic depredation events and removals (opens in a new tab)
- Report poaching: Operation Game Thief, 1-877-265-6648
Related
Sources (24)
- CPW: Wolves known in Colorado; Pups born in 2026; Reproducing packs; Survival, Apr 2025–Mar 2026; Lethal removals for livestock losses; Policy status; count of 45 on Sept. 24, 2026; timeline, Aug.–Sept. 2026; timeline, Sept. 30, 2026. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- CPW: Wolves released; timeline, Jan. 2025; Bringing Wolves Back to Colorado. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- CPW: Wolves released; timeline, Jan. 21, 2026. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- CPW: Compensation cap; Depredation and compensation. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- Colorado Secretary of State: timeline, Nov. 3, 2020. sos.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- plan PDF, CPW: timeline, May 3, 2023. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Register: timeline, Dec. 8, 2023. federalregister.gov (opens in a new tab)
- CPW: timeline, Dec. 2023. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- CPW: timeline, Dec. 2023. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- CPW: timeline, Aug.–Sept. 2024. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- USFWS: timeline, Sept. 3, 2024. fws.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Rep. Tom Tiffany: timeline, Dec. 18, 2025. tiffany.house.gov (opens in a new tab)
- CPW: timeline, Jan. 28, 2026. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- CPW: Collared wolf activity map and sighting form. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- CPW: Chronic depredation events and removals. cpw.state.co.us (opens in a new tab)
- CPW via Kiowa County Press: Reproducing packs (names); timeline, July 22, 2026. kiowacountypress.net (opens in a new tab)
- CPW via Colorado Outdoors: Lethal removals for livestock losses; timeline, May 29, 2025. coloradooutdoorsmag.com (opens in a new tab)
- CPW via Colorado Outdoors: Adult deaths, Apr 2025–Mar 2026; count of at least 32 on March 31, 2026; timeline, May 7, 2026. coloradooutdoorsmag.com (opens in a new tab)
- CPW via Pagosa Daily Post: timeline, June 12, 2026. pagosadailypost.com (opens in a new tab)
- Summit Daily: count of 15 on Dec. 31, 2024; timeline, Jan. 2025. summitdaily.com (opens in a new tab)
- The Colorado Sun: timeline, May 3, 2023. coloradosun.com (opens in a new tab)
- Sky-Hi News: timeline, June 2024. skyhinews.com (opens in a new tab)
- KUNC: timeline, July 2025. kunc.org (opens in a new tab)
- CPR News: timeline, Nov. 2025. cpr.org (opens in a new tab)