Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) plans to officially unveil the Colorado Wolverine Restoration Plan. This guide aims to bring the species back to the state after a century-long absence.

The effort kicked off thanks to a bipartisan push in the 2024 State Legislature. Its primary goal is to restore these 20- to 35-pound weasels, which look like small bears with bushy tails, to the high alpine areas where they belong.

“Colorado has great unoccupied wolverine habitat, and we have the opportunity to conserve a species that has been missing from our state,” said Perry Will, a former state legislator and current Garfield County Commissioner who introduced the original bill. “Our legislation provides Coloradans with the ability to advance conservation while maintaining the management flexibility required to restore this species in a reasonable and efficient manner.”

The Plan in Action

CPW isn’t just opening the gates and hoping for the best. The highly detailed plan calls for moving up to 15 wolverines per season into the state, aiming for a total of 45 animals over three or more years. They will be released in high-elevation zones (above 10,000 feet) in the central mountains and down in the San Juan Range.

“A planned reintroduction under the management flexibility of a 10(j) rule would bring in about 45 wolverines with a broad genetic background. This will have a far greater chance of establishing a robust long-term population than a single male and female wandering into Colorado, finding each other, and producing enough young to establish a population,” said CPW Wolverine Coordinator Dr. Robert Inman. “Colorado and the wolverine population will be better off with a planned reintroduction.”

Livestock and Logistics

A big part of this plan relies on a federal “10(j)” rule. This designation lists the wolverines as a “nonessential experimental population,” which gives the state more flexibility in managing them compared to strict Endangered Species Act rules. This was a dealbreaker for industries like skiing and ranching.

“Colorado Ski Country USA engaged in the rigorous stakeholding process conducted by CPW for this wolverine reintroduction,” said Melanie Mills, president & CEO of Colorado Ski Country USA. “We support the reintroduction of Wolverine with the 10(j) rule and applaud CPW for its commitment to conservation of this remarkable species and doing so in a way that addresses our industry’s concerns.”

Ranchers might worry about their livestock, but CPW notes that problems should be rare. Wolverines are small and exist in low numbers. In fact, officials believe the entire state can only hold about 100 of them.

“Wolverines naturally exist at very low densities wherever they are found. Fifty to 100 wolverines may not sound like a lot, but that is likely in the same ballpark as the historical capacity here in Colorado,” Inman said. “It would also represent about a quarter of the population in the Lower 48 states. There never were thousands of wolverines in the Lower 48.”

CPW will present the plan and a proposed rule for livestock compensation at the Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting in Denver tomorrow. But they still need the federal government to finalize that crucial 10(j) rule before releases can actually start.

“Here in Colorado we have strong legislative support for restoring wolverines and the best staff for making this plan successful, but a 10(j) rule will be crucial to the fulfillment of the effort,” said Acting CPW Director Laura Clellan. “We are asking the federal government to support our work by utilizing a focused and concise NEPA process to finalize a 10(j) designation so that the state can move forward.”