Grand County commissioners demand answers after re-release of depredating wolf
Commissioners argue the re-release of a known depredator flouts state rules and threatens ranching families’ livelihoods.
In a Dec. 17 letter, the Grand County Board of County Commissioners condemned Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s decision to re-release wolf 2403 into the county. Commissioners called the move a violation of the state’s Wolf Restoration and Management Plan and a betrayal of ranching families who have already suffered heavy losses.
In the letter sent to Gov. Jared Polis, Commissioners Edward Raegner, Merrit Linke and Randal George said they were “profoundly disappointed” by Parks and Wildlife’s choice to return the wolf after its capture in New Mexico.
Wolf 2403 was born into the Copper Creek Pack, which denned in Grand County in spring 2024 and has been linked to repeated livestock attacks across Grand, Pitkin and Gunnison counties. The pack has led to $450,000 in damages being compensated to Grand County ranchers, according to the letter.
“The translocation of depredating wolves to a different part of the state will not be considered, as this is viewed as translocating the problem along with the wolves,” the letter quoted from Chapter 5 of the Wolf Management Plan.
According to Parks and Wildlife, the wolf dispersed from its pack this fall and entered New Mexico, where it was captured and returned to Colorado by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Parks and Wildlife has a joint agreement with Utah, New Mexico and Arizona in which any gray wolves from Colorado that enter these three states can be captured and returned to Parks and Wildlife custody.
According to a news release, the decision for the Colorado wildlife agency to release the wolf in Grand County was determined by three factors: proximity to an unpaired female gray wolf in an effort to support pairing, nearby natural prey populations and distance from livestock.
The letter called the explanation “insufficient justification for returning a known depredator to the community it previously victimized.”
Commissioners say putting the wolf back in Grand County, after the Copper Creek Pack was removed for repeated livestock attacks, shows the state is sidestepping its own rules. They point out that this move further erodes trust with rural residents and are asking for a clear explanation as well as for the Wolf Management Plan to be followed as written.
Ali Longwell contributed to this report.
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