In a recent development, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) confirmed the first reported attack on livestock since the reintroduction of gray wolves in the state. This incident comes after 10 wolves were brought in from Oregon and released in December.

At the CPW Commission meeting on May 13, Reid DeWalt, CPW's assistant director of aquatic, terrestrial, and natural resources, mentioned that no depredations had been reported until that morning. However, conflicts involving the wolves that naturally migrated into Colorado have been occurring over the years.

As per reports from January 2022, wolves killed a domestic dog and injured another in Jackson County. In the same month, two domestic cows were attacked in the same county. Later, in October 2022, CPW investigated potential wolf attacks on livestock near Meeker but found no evidence of wolves in the area.

To bolster the wolf population, the state has planned to reintroduce 15 more wolves from tribal lands in northeastern Washington next winter. This move follows the approval of the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan in May 2023. The plan outlines the legal requirement of fair compensation to livestock owners for any economic losses caused by wolves.

Under the wolf-livestock compensation program, livestock owners will receive 100% of the fair market value compensation, up to $15,000 per animal, for any injuries or killings caused by wolves. However, the compensation program does not cover the loss of pets or hunting dogs. The plan also prohibits the lethal control of wolves in the act of killing a pet or hunting dog, in accordance with existing game damage laws and regulations. Hunting wolves is illegal under current state law.

To address the ongoing human-wolf conflicts, CPW has appointed a wolf conflict coordinator who will act as the statewide expert on such issues. The CPW also plans to set up additional supply houses, known as stash houses, which will store wolf depredation prevention materials. These materials can be easily provided to livestock owners in case of wolf conflicts. Additionally, CPW can offer temporary conflict minimization materials, including electrified fencing with flagging called turbo fladry, as well as scare devices such as shell-crackers, propane cannons, and foxlights, on a case-by-case basis.

With these measures in place, CPW aims to strike a balance between wolf conservation and mitigating conflicts with human activities. It remains to be seen how effective these strategies will be in reducing conflicts and ensuring the welfare of both livestock and wolves in Colorado's ecosystem.