A state's ongoing efforts to reintroduce an apex predator after an 80-year absence reached a significant milestone.
According to a report by USA Today, Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced that three new wolf packs are now active in the state. The department defines a wolf pack as one where a breeding pair has given birth to pups. The announcement came with trail camera footage of three newly born wolf pups playing in Routt County.
A pup-date 🐺Colorado now has new wolf pups and three new wolf packs (a 🧵)
— Colorado Parks and Wildlife (@COParksWildlife) July 17, 2025
We recognize wolf packs only after a breeding pair has reproduced. While our staff have seen pups at some dens, the total pup count for all of the packs has not been confirmed. pic.twitter.com/a2rVkMz8PP
A spokesperson for the department said: "Successful pack formation is vital to our wolf restoration plan — not just for bolstering Colorado's wolf population, but also for developing pack territories."
Voters approved the measure to reintroduce wolves in 2020, and it began in 2023 with the release of 10 wolves. Though not without opposition, experts are hopeful that the return of wolves in the Centennial State will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. As keystone species, wolves play a vital role in controlling the prey population.
Joanna Lambert, a professor of wildlife ecology, explained to the University of Colorado, Boulder, that the return of wolves benefits other species indirectly by allowing vegetation to rebound: "Denser vegetation can provide nesting areas for certain bird species and ideal conditions for beavers to set up dams, which can shift the hydrology of rivers and streams."
Gray wolves were eradicated from Colorado in the 1940s through hunting to protect the livestock that the wolves hunted. However, the state is still a viable habitat for the predator, and the success of the nearby Yellowstone wolves in the 1990s shows that it can have a cascading effect on the ecosystem. However, there are still points of conflict with ranchers that will need to be managed.
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It can be challenging to track wolf pups, so the trail cameras have been an invaluable tool in monitoring the program in its early stages. Cameras provide a way to form better local conservation efforts without overtly disturbing the wildlife. Some of the most elusive species have been caught on camera. Heartwarming footage of wolf pups can also have a galvanizing effect on the public and, by raising awareness, may win over the program's skeptics.
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