Colorado’s Gray Wolf Plan Is on Hold — What Happens Now?

Western slope conversations about livestock, wildlife, and Colorado politics have collided, as Colorado Parks and Wildlife has announced a pause on the introduction of additional gray wolves to the state’s wilderness.

The state, area tribes, and even officials in Canada have declined to supply animals or to provide federal oversight for grey wolves. Let’s take a closer look at what this means for wolf restoration and wildlife from Grand County to the edge of the Gunnison Basin.

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From Ballot Box to the Wild

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Back in 2020, Colorado “voters” narrowly passed Proposition 114, giving the green light to wildlife officials to restore a self-sustaining gray wolf population to a portion of Colorado west of the Continental Divide. This plan called for 10-15 wolves to be added to the state over 3 to 5 years, with a goal of 30 to 50 animals to kickstart the program. In 2023, Colorado released the first ten wolves, the first reintroduction in decades.

What Happened: Why the Plan Is Now on Pause

Colorado officials have announced that additional wolves will not be released in 2026. This is due to the failure to secure another source population. Canada, Colorado, and its tribal partners all declined to provide animals. The pause comes, in part, due to federal pressure over how Colorado wants to import wolves from Canada, which some claim is out of step with the permit process. Western Slope lawmakers have called for a pause in wolf reintroduction, arguing that funding should be redirected to other budget priorities as debates over livestock conflicts continue.

Wolves on Hold, Uncertainty Ahead

For now, no new wolves will be brought to Colorado this year, leaving existing packs to roam the mountains on their own. Those wolves will continue to travel, breed, and, at times, come into conflict with livestock as wildlife managers monitor survival rates and reproduction. Without additional releases, the plan’s goal of establishing a self-sustaining wolf population becomes less certain. With Colorado facing a projected $850 million budget shortfall for the 2026–27 fiscal year, state leaders are increasingly asking whether the program is essential — or simply a “nice to have.”