Colorado Finalizes Plan to Restore Wolverine Population to Alpine Ecosystems

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission has advanced the procedural framework for re-establishing the wolverine (*Gulo gulo*) population within the state's high-altitude environments, marking a potential return for a species absent from Colorado for over a century.

This critical advancement centers on the finalization of the Colorado Wolverine Restoration Plan, which details protocols for compensating livestock producers for potential depredation. The state's commitment is supported by legislative action from 2024, which authorized a dedicated funding stream of $1.7 million allocated across a four-year period to manage the complexities of species translocation and post-release monitoring.

The strategic framework targets the movement of up to 45 wolverines over a multi-year timeline, with initial releases planned for prime habitat areas in the central mountain ranges, including vicinities near Aspen and Vail. CPW has developed a translocation methodology that prioritizes capturing pregnant females between November and January. These animals will be released either into constructed den-like enclosures or after their kits have achieved sufficient mobility to enhance survival rates.

Ecologically, Colorado's landscape is significant for the species, encompassing approximately 20% of the total modeled wolverine habitat in the Lower 48 contiguous United States. This state-level initiative proceeds as the wolverine was officially designated a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in 2023, increasing the imperative for proactive conservation measures.

Before physical releases can begin, CPW must satisfy several administrative prerequisites. A key requirement involves finalizing a comprehensive stakeholder communications strategy. Most critically, the agency is awaiting the issuance of a specific Section 10(j) rule from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Approval of this rule would classify the reintroduced population as nonessential and experimental, granting CPW the necessary authority for dynamic, long-term management of the population.

Historically, the wolverine's decline in the American West has been linked to habitat fragmentation and climate change impacts on the deep snowpack they rely on for denning. The $1.7 million appropriation is designated to cover costs associated with capture, transport, veterinary care, monitoring equipment, and the livestock loss compensation fund, reflecting a substantial state commitment to reversing historical extirpation.