Just months after being released as part of Colorado’s high-profile wolf reintroduction program, one of the transplanted gray wolves was killed in Wyoming. Wildlife officials shot the animal after confirming it had attacked and killed livestock on private land.
The male wolf, which was fitted with a collar from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), was discovered near five dead sheep in north-central Wyoming. Investigators from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services found tracks, signs of a struggle, and bite wounds that were consistent with a wolf attack. Because Wyoming classifies wolves as predators in most of the state, officials may lethally remove them when they threaten livestock.
Two States, Two Systems
This fatal encounter highlights a key tension between state policies. Colorado has designated gray wolves as a protected species under its voter-approved reintroduction program. However, the wolf had crossed into Wyoming, where protections are far less strict.
This difference illustrates the fragmented nature of wildlife policy in the West. Conservationists have called for more unified, science-based management across state lines. At the same time, many ranchers and rural residents are demanding stronger protections for their livestock and property.
CPW released the following statement relating to the event:
“CPW biologists received a mortality alert for male gray wolf 2505-BC this past weekend, March 16. The agency has confirmed the mortality took place in north-central Wyoming. 2505-BC was part of the group of wolves translocated to Colorado from British Columbia and came from areas where there is no overlap between wolves and livestock…”
A Controversial Comeback
Colorado’s wolf reintroduction program, which voters narrowly approved in 2020, aims to restore a sustainable wolf population on the state’s Western Slope. In December 2023, CPW released the first wolves, which had been captured in British Columbia.
The program has been polarizing. Wildlife advocates view it as a long-overdue return of an important predator. Many others, on the other hand, criticize it as a poor approach to wildlife management, arguing that ballot box biology gives power to uninformed or uneducated voters while not considering the recommendations of biologists.
Planners estimated the initial cost to be $800,000 annually. It has already required nearly $5 million, slightly above projections. Taxpayers also footed the bill for $340,000 to Colorado ranchers for losses caused by wolves.
Ranchers are some of the most vocal opponents since these animals pose a threat to their way of life and livelihoods. The reintroduction has been so divisive that the group Colorado Advoacates for Smart Wolf Policy have proposed a 2026 ballot measure to halt the program.
The death of this wolf adds a new and challenging chapter to the ongoing debate.
Wildlife and State Lines
Wolves are capable of traveling hundreds of miles in search of food or a mate. Their natural range often crosses state lines, making state-specific wildlife management complicated and sometimes ineffective.
Without stronger cooperation between states like Colorado and Wyoming, future incidents like this will likely continue. As Colorado prepares for more proposed wolf releases, this animal’s death serves as a reminder that rewilding does not end at state borders. The ripple effects of reintroduction are already reaching far beyond where it all began.
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