Wolves in Colorado move further south of I-70 for first time, expanding their territory.

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, some of the collared wolves in Colorado have made a historic move by venturing south of Interstate 70 for the first time since their reintroduction to the state in December 2023. While the majority of the eight collared wolves have been staying in the north-central mountains and plains during the month of October, recent tracking reports show that at least some of the wolves have expanded their territory to the south of I-70.

The new territory of the wolves includes a large portion of Lake County, specifically north of Colorado 82. In a statement released with the new tracking map on Sunday, wildlife officials explained that this type of behavior was expected as the wolf population continues to grow. As more wolves join the population, some will naturally migrate in search of new territories to establish themselves in.

Currently, there are 14 known wolves in the state of Colorado. This number includes seven survivors from the 10 adults that were reintroduced last year, as well as five pups from the Copper Creek pack and two adults from a pack that migrated from Wyoming. Unfortunately, one of the reintroduced wolves and four of her pups had to be removed from the wild by CPW biologists in late August and early September. One non-collared pup from the pack remains in the wild after CPW decided to stop attempts to capture it.

Out of the wolves roaming Colorado, only eight are collared and can be tracked by wildlife officials. The recent sightings and tracking reports have sparked curiosity and interest among the public, with many wanting to know more about these majestic creatures. As wildlife officials have stated, wolves are habitat generalists, which means they are adaptable and can thrive in a variety of environmental conditions and habitats. As long as there is enough prey available, wolves can inhabit various areas and are expected to continue expanding their territory over time.

CPW is encouraging anyone who believes they have spotted a wolf to fill out a wolf sighting form on their website. In the meantime, stay updated on the latest Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter.

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