Here’s how much Colorado spent on wolf depredations since 2021

DENVER (KDVR) – Colorado Parks and Wildlife recently released a document complete with the full list of wolf depredations in the past few years.

In total, the state paid out tens of thousands of dollars in claims from wolf depredations.

As of the end of last year, the state started to reintroduce gray wolves by slowly releasing 12 wolves into Colorado after voters approved a ballot measure for reintroduction in 2020. Although it’s not welcomed by all Coloradans.

Some residents are calling on the state to kill two wolves behind certain depredations.

Confirmed gray wolf depredations

Regardless of whether the wolf depredations are from the newly released wolves or the wolves already in Colorado, the state pays out landowner losses from wolf depredation on a case-by-case basis.

Here’s the full list, as of April 25, 2024:

Colorado launches wolf depredation report site; new movement map released

These date back to 2021 and the reports don’t distinguish between the wolves that migrated into the state with confirmed sightings starting as early as 2004 and the newly reintroduced wolves, which were first released on Dec. 18, 2023.

State spending on wolf depredations

In total, the state spent $39,892.95 in the past few years, with the largest payout being $15,000 last March after a dog was involved in a wolf attack.

Other depredations include cattle and calf with payouts ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

According to CPW $15,000 is the cap for payout amounts due to a wolf depredation.

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