• CPW Commission approved a $32,768 wolf depredation claim compensating for calf losses and a district wildlife manager assessment.
• Commission tabled a $2,542.41 depredation claim to establish guidelines for covering veterinary labor costs, disagreeing on a $435 portion of the cost.
• CPW reported 26 known wolves in Colorado and are monitoring potential denning activity; CPW says that the death of wolves is part of the plan to establish a self-sustaining population

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission convened in Durango to discuss various topics, with a significant portion of the meeting dedicated to addressing wolf-related issues. The commission reviewed and acted upon wolf depredation claims submitted by ranchers, received updates on the locations of wolves within the state, and discussed efforts to minimize conflicts between wolves and livestock. These discussions are part of the ongoing effort to manage the reintroduction of gray wolves in Colorado, balancing the needs of ranchers with wildlife conservation goals.

• What: The CPW Commission addressed wolf depredation claims, wolf locations, and conflict minimization efforts.
• Who: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission, ranchers, Travis Black (CPW's northwest regional manager), Don Gittleston (Jackson County rancher), Brian Dreher (assistant director for CPW's terrestrial wildlife branch), Eric Odell (manager of the wolf conservation program), Commissioner Dallas May, Commissioner Eden Vardy.
• When: Meeting held on Wednesday. Wolf program update began around 1:30 p.m. February 5, March 3, March 9, and March 29 are dates of confirmed depredations in 2025.
• Where: Durango, Colorado. Ralston Creek watershed. Jackson County, Pitkin County, Eagle County, Rio Blanco, Eagle and Routt counties.

The CPW Commission's decisions reflect the complexities of managing wolf reintroduction in Colorado. Approving one depredation claim while tabling another highlights the challenges in balancing the needs of ranchers with budgetary constraints and regulatory guidelines. The discussion around veterinary labor costs underscores the difficulties faced by ranchers in rural areas. The CPW is carefully tracking wolf movements and working to minimize conflicts through range riders and other strategies. The high number of miles traveled by a female wolf highlights the challenges of managing a far ranging species.

My time on this animal is a loss that I incur. This was not an animal that I needed to treat once or twice and then we were done with. This took a little over three months to get her back to where she would be sound and we weren’t going to have a problem with her. My time that I put on this, and the amount that I charged you for this, was quite a bit below if I had had the vet come out and take care of this situation for me.

It needs to get settled at your level. ... So, I am good with waiting until you get this resolved. That’s what needs to happen. I do not need payment this minute. This needs to get resolved.

I’m not comfortable going outside our regulations. This obviously is not something that is going to make or break Mr. Gittleson, but the decision has far-reaching implications.

These mortalities are unfortunate in our sense of trying to establish a self-sustaining population of wolves, but it does not, in any way, indicate a failure of the program

We do not have wolves in highly metropolitan and urbanized areas. That’s just a function of an animal being in the very far western portion of that watershed.

The CPW Commission's recent meeting highlights the ongoing efforts to manage wolf reintroduction in Colorado. While progress is being made in compensating ranchers for depredation losses and monitoring wolf populations, challenges remain in addressing the complexities of veterinary care costs, livestock protection, and overall program sustainability. The CPW continues to adapt its strategies based on ongoing data and stakeholder feedback, aiming to strike a balance between wildlife conservation and the needs of the agricultural community.