Colorado Parks and Wildlife has suspended its policy of killing wolves that repeatedly attack livestock, even as the state's wolf population reached a record 45 animals. The agency announced the pause on Oct. 1, effective immediately, and plans to revise the directive by April 1, 2027, Colorado Public Radio reported.

The decision follows a year of lethal removals. CPR reported that four wolves were killed under the agency's depredation rule in 2026, including three in early September. The Colorado Springs Gazette counted five wolves killed by the agency this year, all pups or yearlings.

For ranchers, the change removes a tool they relied on as losses mounted. For wolf advocates, it reflects a recognition that a small, newly established population can slide backward quickly even when the headline number looks healthy.

A Record Count With Shaky Foundations

CPW counted 45 wolves as of Sept. 24, including about 20 pups, CPR reported. That is a state record since reintroduction began in December 2023, and the population spans four reproducing packs plus a group of four siblings.

But the agency's own survival figures raised alarms. Adult survival through March 31 was 61%, below the roughly 75% typical for populations that are not hunted. Pup survival in 2025-26 was 82%, which CPW expects to fall toward the more typical range of 50% to 60%.

Two packs have also shown hair loss that could indicate a parasitic infection such as mange, the Gazette reported. The paper reported 20 wolf deaths from all causes this year.

CPW Director Laura Clellan summed up the stakes. "Right now, we're in a critical moment for wolf restoration in Colorado," she said, according to CPR.

The "Three and 30" Rule Explained

Colorado's wolves are classified as a nonessential, experimental population under the federal Endangered Species Act. That designation gives the state more flexibility to manage them, including killing wolves involved in repeated conflicts.

Under the state's "three and 30" approach, a wolf could be considered for lethal removal after killing or harassing livestock or working dogs three times within 30 days. CPW has now suspended that chronic depredation directive and will evaluate any future removals case by case using what it called a conservative approach, the Gazette reported.

Small populations face risks that large ones can absorb. Losing a single breeding adult can break up a pack, leave pups without enough hunters to feed them, and reduce the genetic variety the population needs to stay healthy. A disease outbreak or a few illegal killings can also erase a year of growth.

The tension has been building all year. In January, CPW said no new wolves would be brought in for the 2025-26 season. Wolf program manager Eric Odell warned then that "when populations are small, the contributions of each individual is especially significant," in a CPW update, adding that high mortality raises the risk the state will not reach a self-sustaining population.

Mounting Losses for Ranchers

Livestock losses have climbed alongside the wolf count. The Gazette reported 57 livestock killed in 2026 through September, including 14 that month, compared with 36 livestock and one working dog in all of 2025. Compensation payments are expected to exceed $1 million this year.

One uncollared yearling from the Copper Creek pack killed 22 sheep over 11 months in Routt County before it was removed in June, CPR reported. Ranchers in packed areas say pups and yearlings can learn that cattle and sheep are easier prey than elk.

Jackson County rancher Don Gittleson, who has lost cattle to wolves, described the pattern to Axios Denver this summer. "They had pups, then we had problems," he said.

Rancher frustration has also focused on information. Harold Unwin, president of the Colorado Independent CattleGrowers Association, told Axios that CPW is "not really telling where they're releasing" wolves. The state confirmed its newest group, the Piney Ridge pack in Eagle County, in July, and CPW wolf monitoring coordinator Brenna Cassidy called it "a moment of great success."

Agricultural groups reacted sharply to the pause. Colorado Farm Bureau president Carlyle Currier called it "nearly unfathomable that CPW intends to abdicate their obligations to our farming, ranching, and rural communities," the Gazette reported. State Sen. Byron Pelton, a Sterling Republican, said ranchers depend on a working relationship with the agency. "If that partnership is no longer there, they can't do their jobs," he said, according to the Gazette.

Conservationists Welcome a More Cautious Approach

Wolf advocates said the change reflects the science of small populations. Courtney Vail, board chair of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, said the announcement "is well received by those of us who hope the wolf program can remain adaptive," according to the Gazette.

University of Colorado Boulder professor emeritus Marc Bekoff went further, telling CPR that "killing wolves does not stop predation on farm animals." Research on that question is mixed, and outcomes depend heavily on which wolves are removed and whether nonlethal tools are used alongside removals.

Ranchers in wolf country can still seek help through CPW's conflict minimization program, which includes range riders, fladry fencing and carcass removal, and through state compensation for confirmed losses. Reporting suspected depredation quickly to CPW is required for compensation and gives the agency the evidence it needs to respond.

CPW plans to revise its depredation directive by April 2027 and is exploring options for new wolf releases in winter 2026-27. The bottom line: Colorado has more wolves than ever, but low survival and possible disease make the population fragile, and the pause shifts more of the burden onto nonlethal tools and the ranchers who use them.

Related NatureWorldNews.com Coverage

California Endangered Animals: New Pack of Gray Wolves Found in Sierra Nevada

Gray Wolf Population in Michigan Continues Trend of Stability, New Report Shows

Banff's Aging Grizzly 'The Boss' Faces Closer Management, but Parks Canada Calls Lethal Removal Extraordinarily Rare

What Readers Want to Know

What did Colorado decide?

Colorado Parks and Wildlife suspended its chronic depredation directive on Oct. 1, pausing routine lethal removal of wolves that repeatedly kill livestock.

How many wolves live in Colorado?

CPW counted 45 wolves as of Sept. 24, 2026, a state record, including about 20 pups.

How many wolves were killed for livestock attacks this year?

CPR reported four killed under the depredation rule. The Colorado Springs Gazette counted five killed by the agency in 2026.

What is the "three and 30" rule?

It allowed a wolf to be considered for removal after killing or harassing livestock or working dogs three times in 30 days.

Why pause if the population is growing?

Adult survival is below typical levels, two packs show signs of possible parasitic disease, and small populations can decline quickly.

What help is available to ranchers?

CPW offers nonlethal conflict tools and compensation for confirmed livestock losses. Suspected depredations should be reported to CPW promptly.