Collar data shows some wolves have moved into eastern Moffat County

MOFFAT COUNTY, Colo. — Two recently released gray wolves in Colorado have moved from western Routt County to eastern Moffat County, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced Saturday, and recent data from the animals’ GPS collars indicate pointed out the data.

This was first reported on Steamboat Radio on Saturday.

As part of the state’s voter-mandated reintroduction effort, CPW released the first five gray wolves on Dec. 18 at an undisclosed location in Grand County. Days later, five more people were released in Grand and Summit counties. All 10 people were fitted with GPS collars. Wildlife officials say no additional wolves will be released this season, which runs through mid-March.

CPW’s Rachel Gonzalez confirmed to Denver7 that wolf location points are collected up to every four hours. Data is downloaded every 16 hours.

“Wolves can and do move significant distances during the four-hour period in which points are collected. Terrain and weather can have an impact on when points are received,” she said. . “This data gives us an informed view of where wolves have been, but it doesn’t tell us where they are and, of course, where they are going.”

Gonzalez said CPW works with livestock producers to provide conflict mitigation techniques in areas where wolves are likely to explore. These techniques are listed in the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan approved in May.

Concerns among wolves: Grand County residents brace as Colorado gray wolf reintroduction process begins

CPW recently announced that it will be publishing new maps on its website to inform people about wolf movement, which was briefly discussed at the Jan. 11 CPW Commission meeting.

The map, created using GPS collar data, shows watersheds explored by wolves in purple. To protect the animal, certain of his GPS data is not available to the public.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

”“For a watershed to indicate wolf activity, at least one GPS point from a wolf collar must be recorded within the watershed boundary,” CPW explained in January. Or whether wolves are present throughout the watershed or whether wolves are currently in the watershed. ”

CPW said it updates the maps monthly, with new maps released on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Therefore, an updated version is expected on February 28th. The map reflects the previous month’s data from 10 GPS collars. In addition to releasing the wolves, they also released two wolves that had wandered into Colorado alone in North Park. All known wolves in Colorado have collars, according to CPW.

This reintroduction effort will continue in accordance with the Colorado Wolf Recovery Management Plan, which calls for 30 to 15 wolves over three to five years, with the goal of acquiring 10 to 15 wolves from multiple packs each year. Fifty wolves are required to be transported to Colorado. After that point, reintroduction efforts will cease and CPW will monitor whether the population is self-sustaining.

CPW secured 15 wolves for reintroduction to the Western Slope from tribal lands in Northeast Washington on January 19, but the wolves will not set foot in the state until December 2024 and March 2025. It was announced that it would be.

CPW is asking anyone who witnesses a wolf or wolf tracks to submit a wolf sighting report form on its website. Staff will review all credible reports. CPW also has a wolf education resources page where you can find videos about wolf biology and the reintroduction planning process.