Colorado wolves roamed less in past month, CPW map shows where they traveled

Colorado’s gray wolves did not move around as much in the past month, mostly due spring denning activity beginning, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) said Wednesday, April 22 from the agency’s wolf activity map.

According to CPW, the wolves mostly roamed areas confined to the northwestern corner of the state and parts of the west-central mountains south of Interstate 70 and north of US Highway 50.

The map shows the wolves stayed entirely west of the Continental Divide during the monitoring period from March 24 to April 21. From Feb. 24 to March 24, gray wolf collared trackers had individuals actively monitored in Jefferson, Douglas, Teller and Park counties, all east of the Continental Divide.

Five notable updates from the past month from CPW:

• Some wolves continued to make broad movements while those in packs have developed territories and are displaying more localized movements. 
   
• A highlighted watershed indicates that at least one GPS collared wolf was within that watershed during the month. It does not mean that wolves have traveled throughout the entire watershed or currently occupy it. No wolves have spent time near urban centers.
   
• Should wolves be seen near human residences and developments, CPW has a number of resources on living with wolves available through its webpage.
   
• Colorado’s wolves have begun their denning season. CPW’s Wildlife Damage Specialists are working closely with producers to proactively implement various conflict minimization tools and techniques on operations with localized wolf activity nearby. 
   
• CPW continues to monitor wolves in Colorado for the formation of additional packs and any indication of denning events.

Currently CPW tracks 18 wolves outfitted with collars, however, wolf pups, and other wolves and wolf packs have entered the state from neighboring states, mingling with the four named packs in Colorado.

The four packs names are: Copper Creek Pack – Pitkin County, King Mountain Pack – Routt County, One Ear Pack – Jackson County and Three Creeks Pack – Rio Blanco County.