Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) re-released gray wolf 2403 in Grand County, Colorado, yesterday, December 11th, after it was found and captured in New Mexico. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish initiated the capture effort in compliance with a Memorandum of Understanding with 3 states that border Colorado, including Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
“We are grateful to our partners at the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish for their efforts to capture and return a member of Colorado’s gray wolf population. Gray wolf 2403 has been returned to Colorado and released in a location where it can best contribute to CPW’s efforts to establish a self-sustaining wolf population while concurrently attempting to minimize potential wolf-related livestock conflicts.” – Acting CPW Director Laura Clellan.
CPW staff considered proximity to an unpaired female gray wolf with the hope of supporting a pairing, the nearby natural prey populations, and distance from livestock when considered the relocation of gray wolf 2403. No further information on the specific release location will be released, though state and local stakeholders and Parks and Wildlife Commissioners were given information related to the operation.
A historic day for Colorado and for the first time ever — we released 5 wolves, 3 males and 2 females, in Grand County today.
— Colorado Parks and Wildlife (@COParksWildlife) December 19, 2023
Captured in Oregon, the wolves were evaluated by our veterinarians & biologists, fitted with GPS collars & transported to Colorado for their release. pic.twitter.com/1Q1EiRxoZf
The Memorandum of Understanding was created prior to any translocation efforts as a part of CPW’s plans for wolf restoration in Colorado. It establishes the dual intent that any gray wolves who leave Colorado to Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico will be relocated back to the state, and any Mexican wolves that leave their nonessential experimental population area within Arizona and New Mexico will be relocated back to the designated Experimental area.
“We recognized during the planning process that we would need to have consideration and plans to protect the genetic integrity of the Mexican wolf recovery program, while also establishing a gray wolf population in Colorado. This MOU is a demonstration of the proactive steps CPW and neighboring state wildlife agencies took during our planning and implementation processes. Ultimately, the intent is to aid with the success of our program here in Colorado while minimizing any adverse impacts on Mexican wolf recovery efforts in our neighboring states.” – CPW’s Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell.
Gray wolf 2403 was originally part of the Copper Creek pack in Colorado but dispersed back in fall of 2025. The animal was relocated back to the state to protect New Mexico’s Mexican wolf population, not to address a depredation situation.
