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Yes.

At least five of the 25 gray wolves reintroduced to Colorado through a plan approved by Colorado voters in 2020 have been killed by humans since 2024. 

Two of the wolves, numbers 2305 and 2309, were part of the initial transfer of 10 wolves from Oregon in 2023. The other three, numbers 2505, 2512, and 2507, were brought from Canada in 2025. Colorado Parks and Wildlife also fatally shot one male pup that was descended from the 2023 cohort after it attacked livestock in Pitkin County.

One wolf died after getting caught in a legal foot-trap; one was hit by a vehicle; one died of “capture-related” complications; one was illegally shot; and one was killed by Wyoming state officials after it crossed into the state and killed five sheep there.

Gray wolves are an endangered species in Colorado. Twelve of the 25 wolves reintroduced to the state have died.

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Cassis Tingley is a Denver-based freelance journalist. She’s spent the last three years covering topics ranging from political organizing and death doulas in the Denver community to academic freedom and administrative accountability at the...