Overview
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife plans to move up to 45 wolverines, releasing 15 per year over three years beginning in 2027.
- More than 94% of the target habitat is on federal land, including parts of Rocky Mountain National Park, the Elk and West Elk Mountains, and the San Juan Range.
- Releases require a federal 10(j) experimental-population designation, a livestock compensation rule, a communications plan, and completion of NEPA review before they can proceed.
- The plan details capture timing, winter holding, helicopter or snowmobile releases, and carcass provisioning at prospective dens to encourage animals to remain.
- Colorado’s high-elevation terrain could support around 100 wolverines, a restoration that CPW says could increase the Lower 48 population by roughly 30%.